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Google breaching privacy

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Hash., Aug 4, 2011.

  1. Hash.

    Hash. pure daycent

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    A few days ago the reports were made that Google’s Street View vehicles were for some reason gathering personal information from unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

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    The allegations were that the search giant was collecting the unique identifying addresses of PCs and mobile phones using Wi-Fi networks which information was logged by the Google’s Street View cars. This story becomes a further privacy problem for the American-based online search giant – the first one emerged after a government audit carried out last year in Germany found out that the company’s Street View vehicles were gathering personal information from unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Among the collected data there were phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

    Last time Google claimed that the data in question had been accidentally collected. In order to show they were concerned, Google promised to initiate strict protocols to prevent a recurrence. However, it now seems that either protocols were not that strict or they weren’t initiated at all, because a few days ago media reported a new privacy lapse that had highlighted another loophole in the search giant’s system.

    Normally, Street View vehicles are meant to gather only the locations of wireless access points. This is a commonly used method, employed by the companies to help smart phones find out their location in the conditions when they lack strong cell-phone or GPS signals. However, the other activities of the same vehicles were not so widely used – while recording the above mentioned data, the Street View cars also scooped up the street addresses and unique identifiers of PCs and portable electronic devices that were using those Wi-Fi networks. Moreover, for some reason, this personal data was made available over a publicly accessible database!

    Meanwhile, the company has been reported to discontinue such practice by now, and the information that was exposed is no longer publicly available. However, Google refused to provide any comments on the issue.

    By the way, Google is not the only company today that is facing privacy problems: it competitor Apple also experiences troubles over its discontinued practice of recording logs revealing the approximate location information of millions of iPhones.
     
    #1
  2. Mick

    Mick Probably won't answer PMs
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    If you accidentally record data then the data is going to consist of something, in that it is actually going to be some sort of information and the most likely information would be network communication data, such as your IP which is the most basic information often passed between devices upon connection.

    Basically a huge non story after you get over the fact that Google was storing random wifi data.
     
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  3. Hash.

    Hash. pure daycent

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    Maybe Mick, but why spoof they were stopped when they weren't? You're just kissing the 'mans' ass so not606 doesnt get relegated in the google search <laugh> <ok>
     
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  4. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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    That's not quite how it works Sword<ok>
     
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  5. Bhoy From Brum

    Bhoy From Brum Well-Known Member

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    We need a way over my ****ing head smiley
     
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  6. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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    Basically:

    Google are intent on taking over the world.

    The world loves Google but won't admit it and protests to the invasion of their lives even though they rely massively on it.

    Google introduces a new piece of tech on a phone/ laptop etc and the world goes oooh...albeit it bit suspisciously, but they then embrace it begrudgingly.

    Android is a great example of: We're google but we'll call ourselves something else that way everyone will love us and we'll be cool...and they do and they are.

    All the while the most popular search engine is...

    And the people making the most money out of it is...

    And even on an organic search level, ie not paid for search ads, you have SEO geeks and ad planners who have to take exams to be qualified by...
     
    #6
  7. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    What is it?! you didn't write the answer idiot <grr>
     
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  8. Kyle?

    Kyle? New Member

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    <doh>
     
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  9. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    i'm joking, you didn't seriously think i was being serious, it wasn't very funny though i must admit, pretty poor by my normally amazing standards
     
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  10. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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    <laugh>
     
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  11. Kyle?

    Kyle? New Member

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    I knew you were joking, but it was pretty poor considering your usual stuff.
     
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  12. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    n'awwwww you shouldn't have, honestly *blushing*
     
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  13. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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    Get a room for ****s sake.

    I thought that was pretty good for a Shepherds Bush yokel<ok>;)
     
    #13
  14. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    You starting to get into turf now boy? oh, you don't wanna go there blud, no ****ing way...
     
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  15. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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  16. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    we'll let our badman DJ Campbell out on you, he's a shepherds bush man born and bred (well at least hammersmith) dunk'no nuff love peace out
     
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  17. - SW6 -

    - SW6 - Well-Known Member

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    Didier will use DJ as an arse scratcher<ok>

    And a search engine...on topic<ok>
     
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  18. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    ahahahahahhaaha you serious, bro? just imagine this:

    Clint Hill, Paddy Kenny, Kaspars Gorkss, Shaun Derry, Danny ****tu and Bradley Orr walking up to you on a cold dark night (not so much orr, he'd just be cuddling some stray cat) don't lie, you're ****ting it <ok>
     
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  19. Kyle?

    Kyle? New Member

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    I don't want to be within 5 feet of ****tu. He's a big man.
     
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  20. Trypsin-1

    Trypsin-1 Active Member

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    "Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cheroo!
    Who needs Sol Campbell when you've got ****tu..."

    outdated now but who gives a ****

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    #20

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