UK unclear on legality of Google data collection

Published on Monday 1 November 2010 13:19

THE UK's privacy watchdog said yesterday that it would not be "panicked into a knee-jerk response" over claims Google has been spying on people.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it was not clear whether the internet giant unlawfully harvested data during the creation of Google Street View.

Last week, MPs accused the company of deliberately collecting millions of passwords, website details (URLs) and emails for commercial gain.

Google has admitted collecting information from unsecured wireless networks as its vehicles roamed residential streets to create the mapping product.

However, it remains to be seen whether it broke laws governing how personal data is obtained and processed.

A spokesman for the ICO said officials were waiting for the result of overseas inquiries before deciding whether to consider using its enforcement powers.

These could include serving a "stop" notice, making any further action a criminal offence, and referring Google to Parliament.

He said: "While the information we saw at the time did not include meaningful personal details that could be linked to an identifiable person, we have continued to liaise with, and await the findings of, the investigations carried out by our international counterparts.

"Now that these findings are starting to emerge, we understand that Google has accepted that in some instances entire URLs and emails and passwords have been captured.

"We have made inquiries to see whether this admission relates to the data inadvertently captured in the UK, and we are now deciding on the necessary course of action, including a consideration of the need to use our enforcement powers."

The Metropolitan Police announced last week that it would not launch a criminal inquiry into Google over claims it illegally collected personal data.