Comments on: New Google inquiry demanded after “slap on the wrist” $25k fine

By: Andrewj220

Andrewj220 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:59:00 +0000

And the government can nose into all of our business, create laws to their benefit and erode our freedoms everyday. Who is the government watch dog? Lobbyists?

By: Clare Chevalier

Clare Chevalier — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Google did not break the law. Some people just want Google punished because it fits within their “big, bad, corporation” narrative. Look at the facts.

By: ZacharyHearns

ZacharyHearns — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Many Google products were known to be programed and maintained by one person during the time this occurred. Google stated that code was recycled and that this recycled code had some unexpected components. Physical products go through copious checks as well, this doesn’t stop recalls.

You are holding Google up to a unreasonable and illogical standard. As was stated before, what they did was not (and should not be) illegal. People should be responsible for encrypting information they want to protect. If I found a watch on a park bench, I shouldn’t get arrested for stealing.

By: Ksnyder195

Ksnyder195 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:38:00 +0000

This is getting ridiculous. Google grabbed open wifi data for mapping purposes. Problem is, they grabbed more than they should have in an world just waking up to how much of our privacy we sacrifice for convenience.

But what they did is not illegal. Once they realized what they were sitting on, they fessed up and offered to destroy the data as soon as they legally could.

Our privacy is being challenged on many fronts, but this isn’t one of them. If you broadcast your data over an unsecured wifi network, you deserve to have it compromised. Just like the guy caught peeing in his driveway by a Street View car, you have given up any expectation of privacy.

Get over it.

By: some guy

some guy — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Slap on the wrist? $25,000 to Google is more like wagging your finger at them and saying “Naughty naughty”.

I’m thinking Larry Page carries that much around in his wallet.

By: danstl

danstl — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Nothing was illegal… and the people (regular joes/janes) are not getting ANYTHING out of this from the “Privacy Advocates”… SO unless laws change IMO there is nothing that can be done… complaining about it does nothing… if you want it to be illegal to collect un-encrypted data that is flying through the air then talk to your lawmakers… BUT the precedence that would create would be just crazy. From an IT perspective it is not uncommon to sniff the air around our building for possible rogue access points, this is a security practice… and in the process people that are running their WAPs un-encrypted would be logged as well… this is just life…

By: CharlesKGim

CharlesKGim — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:26:00 +0000

A lot of these privacy advocated are fronts for Google’s competition.

By: Anthony Topper

Anthony Topper — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Is Google like the creepy guy in the neighborhood that can’t mind his own business? He’s not doing anything illegal but he sure is acting creepy.

By: JP

JP — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:47:00 +0000

The issue is Google has been accidentally doing many things and then saying sorry. There are lots of checks for a part of software before it is released. there should not be so much of accidental issues.

By: Anas Hashmi

Anas Hashmi — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Does anybody even understand why there was a $25,000 fine? Google was “very uncooperative” in the investigation so just to show who is boss, Google was fined. The fine was not because Google did something evil.

Further, Google invited FCC to see the data they gathered. They wanted FCC to investigate what happened. Why should Google get penalized for this?

By: danstl

danstl — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:23:00 +0000

What do these advocates want?! if the fcc decided that Google broke the law, then that would have bad consequences for ANYONE accidentally grabbing packets that are un-encrypted in the open air… this could be anyone.

Nothing illegal was done here… but obviously could have been handled better…

These “Privacy Advocates” do nothing but support their own existence…