Wi-Fi Sniffing Probably Qualifies as Wiretapping, Appeals Court Tells Google
Google today lost an appeal of its long-running “Wi-Spy” case, in which its Street View cars slurped up data from open Wi-Fi networks. But even some people unaffiliated with the company — which was wrong, very wrong in the first place and has admitted as such — are unhappy with the ruling, as it judged open Wi-Fi networks not to be a “radio communication” or “readily accessible to the general public,” so therefore they fall under the U.S. Wiretap Act. Google had sought to dismiss wiretap claims as part of a broader class action suit, and a spokesperson said the company is considering its next steps.