Watchdog reopens Google case

The information watchdog has reopened its investigation into Google’s Street View cars and the personal data collected from unsecured wifi networks in the UK.

Google agreed to delete all the information that had been collected in November 2010, telling the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that the data had been gathered as a result of a simple mistake.

But the ICO has now reopened its investigation following a report by a US watchdog which found emails, passwords and other information had been collected from millions of unknowing internet users through software deliberately written by an engineer.

Steve Eckersley, the ICO’s head of enforcement, wrote to Alan Eustace, Google’s senior vice president, on Monday, telling him the ICO’s investigation has been reopened and asking for further information.

Nick Pickles, director of the civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “The ICO is absolutely right to re-open the investigation and must now take every step to get to the bottom of just how many British people’s privacy was trampled on by Google.”

A Google spokesman said: “We’re happy to answer the ICO’s questions.”