Google Street View violated privacy laws

The massive project inadvertently collected information from unencrypted WiFi networks.

Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said yesterday that Google breached Canada’s privacy laws through its Street View project, but not by capturing candid photos of Canadians through bedroom windows as you might expect. While most citizens knew their pictures were being taken when one of Google’s funny-looking cars drove by, few knew that the cars were also collecting information like emails, usernames and passwords, addresses and telephone numbers through wireless internet networks. Google has apologized for the privacy breach, saying it was unaware that such sensitive information was being gathered. Stoddart gave the company until February 1 to delete all of the data.