Czech Republic bans Google ‘Street View’
Watchdog says mapping feature invades people’s privacy

PRAGUE — The Czech Republic’s privacy watchdog says Google has not been granted permission to expand its mapping feature “Street View” because it invades peoples’ privacy.

The Office for Personal Data Protection last week refused Google Inc. the necessary registration for “Street View” in the eastern European country but did not explain why. Google then considered it a temporary decision.

Office head Igor Nemec says Google uses means that “disproportionately invade citizens’ privacy.” Nemec said Wednesday that Google also does not have a proper legal representative on Czech territory to handle personal data.

The U.S. Internet giant has come under fire from authorities across Europe over privacy concerns, most recently for vacuuming up fragments of people’s online activities sent over public Wi-Fi networks for years while taking shots of city streets…

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Google Street View ‘Single Biggest Breach Of Privacy In History’

The Australian communications minister has labelled internet search giant Google “creepy” and said that the company’s collection of wireless network data through its Street View service was the single biggest breach of privacy in history.

Earlier this month, Google announced it had discovered that the roving cars it uses to create its online mapping services were inadvertently gathering data on people’s website use over unsecured wireless networks.

Google apologised, but the admission caused alarm across the globe.

Germany’s consumer protection said that Google had acted “illegally” and failed to show respect for the privacy of its citizens. The UK Information Commissioner has asked Google to delete information gathered on British citizens as soon as possible.

Now Stephen Conroy, Australia’s minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, has told a senate committee that Google deliberately decided to collect the private information.

Mr Conroy, whose plan to implement an internet filter in Australia has been strongly criticised by Google, blamed the company’s CEO Eric Schmidt.

“I think the approach taken by Mr Schmidt is a bit creepy frankly,” Mr Conroy said.

“When it comes to their attitude to their own censorship, their response is simply, ‘trust us’. That is what they actually state on their website: ‘Trust us’.”…

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Google Street View Logs WiFi Networks, Mac Addresses

Google’s roving Street View spycam may blur your face, but it’s got your number. The Street View service is under fire in Germany for scanning private WLAN networks, and recording users’ unique Mac (Media Access Control) addresses, as the car trundles along.

Germany’s Federal Commissioner for Data Protection Peter Schaar says he’s “horrified” by the discovery.

“I am appalled… I call upon Google to delete previously unlawfully collected personal data on the wireless network immediately and stop the rides for Street View,” according to German broadcaster ARD…