FCC Investigating Google Data Collection

The Federal Communications Commission is investigating whether Google broke federal laws when its street-mapping service collected consumers' personal information, joining a lengthy list of regulators probing what Google says was inadvertent harvesting of private data sent over wireless networks.

The FCC opened its investigation earlier this year. In May, the FCC received a complaint from Electronic Privacy Information Center, a privacy advocacy group, asking it to investigate whether Google violated federal communications law designed to prevent electronic eavesdropping. Intention violations of the law could result in fines of up to $50,000 per violation. Last month, the Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation into Google's Street View service.