Google’s Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) innovative street-view data collection doesn’t sit well the United Kingdom and their laws on internet privacy.
In 2010, Google reportedly admitted they collected their data using Wi-Fi networks from around. This prompted officials from the UK to investigate the company further. Although they were not slapped with a fine there was an ICO audit requested by the commissioner.
Recently, the ICO plans on taking the investigation further by reading the report provided as on Google’s data collecting practices from the United States. The spokesman for Google, Anthony House, said “We have always been clear that the leaders of this project did not want or intend to use this payload data.”
Google’s report findings from the FCC may end up working against the company. Last month, the company was fined $25,000 for stalling the investigation.
It’s not looking so good for Google right now. We dont know how long this investigation is going to last and we don’t know what the outcome will be. Perhaps the best thing they could to do right now is come clean and offer to work a settlement.
This isn’t the only time Google has gotten in trouble over privacy matters. Months ago when the search engine giant changed their privacy policy, the European Union got onto their case claiming that this new policy violated their data protection rules.
When you’re as big of a company as Google, you’re bound to step on the feet of others from time to time. The important thing here is that these companies should learn from their mistakes, admit what you did wrong, and make restitution to save their image. I’m sure that Google knows they made a mistake but right now their best bet is to save their image. I’m not too terribly worried about the future of this company but I think they should make take accusations more seriously.
