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Forum: Internet Links Topic: Google stealing personal info started by: Leisher Posted by Leisher on Oct. 24 2010,21:21
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Posted by thibodeaux on Oct. 25 2010,05:57
As much as a hate Google's smug hipster liberalism, I don't think you have a reasonable expectation of privacy in email, especially if you're not securing your wi-fi access point.If you want privacy, use encryption. That's just the way it is these days. Posted by Leisher on Oct. 25 2010,06:50
I don't understand anyone who doesn't secure their WiFi. As for what Google did, I completely get mapping out WiFi networks. In fact, I think it'd be cool to see a map of WiFi coverage ala the cell phone maps. My problem comes in the stealing, then storing of personal information, plus the denial. Posted by thibodeaux on Oct. 25 2010,06:59
I'm a little skeptical; I wonder what they really did with the data. I mean, did they really "harvest" the info, or did they just have a data-logger running that stored the bytes?
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 25 2010,07:57
The thing that stands out to me is that they were collecting data on the WiFi networks for advertising purposes. Coverage and secure or not isn't much data for advertisers.I'm not saying the Google executives knew what kind of data this would pick up, but somebody did. Posted by thibodeaux on Oct. 25 2010,08:52
But...but...they promised not to be evil!
Posted by TPRJones on Oct. 25 2010,10:19
From what I understand, they were just going to harvest locations but the data logger was turned on and no one noticed until later. And the uncertainty about what is in there has been mostly related to the fact that it's this huge pile of data that no one as really laid eyes on except perhaps to extract location data.That's the story anyway, and it makes more sense to me than the idea that Google has a good reason to go intentionally wardriving around the country. Posted by thibodeaux on Oct. 25 2010,10:30
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The "advertising" bit I figured would be maybe they're going to target ads based on IP or even MAC address.
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