Reps Seek Info On Google Wi-Fi Data Harvest

The co-chairmen of the House Privacy Caucus have stopped just short of calling for an investigation of Google over revelations that it gathered private information transmitted over Wi-Fi networks, though the clear undertone of their message is that one should be in the works, if not already underway.

In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Joe Barton (R-TX) pointed out that the company has admitted that it collected private e-mail and net surfing data, but said it has not clarified the nature or extent of the data it collected as part of its street view mapping initiative. In addition to just pictures, the legislators point out, the company recorded Wi-Fi signals and their accompanying identifying information. Reps Markey and Barton have asked for responses to a number of questions including whether the Federal Trade Commission is investigating the matter. If so, they also want to know what the FTC knows about how the data was stored and who had access to the data, whether Google's actions violate the public's "reasonable expectation" of privacy,if its actions be an unfair and deceptive practice that could harm consumers, and if Google's actions are illegal under federal law, whether the FTC has the authority to take action. They gave Google until June 2 to respond.