QOTD : Google Theft..?

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Socoder -> Question of the Day -> QOTD : Google Theft..?
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 06:46
Jayenkai	Everyone seems to be getting into a tizzy over the whole "Street View = Data theft" thing.. The Guardian (who are yet to screw net-readers by putting up a stupid sodding fence) have a nice article about it, and how they're being made to sign a silly agreement that they won't do it again. QOTD : Do you give a crap, or is this all just a random accidental collection of useless rubbish? -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 07:14
JL235	It's an accidental collection of important rubbish. I hate how the non-technically enlightened (everyone) claim that Google has 'stolen' or 'hacked' people's information. It's no difference from overhearing someone giving out their password. I personally see this as a failing of router manufacturers. Setting up wifi security is straight forward to me, but not trivial, and entirely baffling to non-technical people. If router security was setup and enabled by default, and if how you set it up was far clearer, then this would not have occurred. But that doesn't mean Google were right to collect the information. They are clearly in the wrong for doing so.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 07:28
waroffice	i agree it is easy to get the information but there is no need to store it. Swings and roundabouts
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 07:56
Afr0	I'm totally with Google on this. I don't usually stand up for major corporations, but I'm all for a better internet. Google Maps is part of that internet. If people don't know how to protect their login information they shouldn't be on a Wifi line in the first place! -=-=- Afr0 Games Project Dollhouse on Github - Please fork!
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 09:51
steve_ancell	The Guardian Google committed a "significant breach" of the Data Protection Act when its Street View cars collected personal data including full emails and passwords from unsuspecting internet users, the UK information commissioner confirmed today. Harvesting log-in info and passwords is illegal and harvesting email addresses is no different to what a spam-bot system does, so therefor must be illegal. I any one of us were to do the same, we would be digitally beheaded, drawn and quartered and fined craploads.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 10:23
waroffice	oh right, i thought this was just the location of the unsecure wifi hotspots. that is bad indeed.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 11:09
HoboBen	I think google was silly to have "accidentaly" saved all this data, but I think it's very important that it was done; there's nothing to stop anyone else from doing the same (and people probably already are), so it's about time there was more awareness of this problem. But the solution is not "google was bad, let's make this illegal, promise not to do it" -the solution is to actually fix the problem!!! Wireless routers should refuse to work wirelessly unless they are configured to use encryption, only allowing wired connections. -=-=- blog \| work \| code \| more code
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 11:58
spinal	first of all, you can't accidentally copy peoples files in many differnt countries (wasn't there similar complaints in five or so other coutntries?) Google specifically went out to attempt to steal peoples files etc. The only thing these cars needed to do was take photos and record GPS co'ords, nothing more. There was no need for them to have any wi-fi enabled equipment on board, let alone use it to snoop around peoples networks and make copies of data packets that were floating around. As for suggesting that wi-fi routers only work it their encryption is set up, what about the many private and public access points set up by people who don't mind sharing their internet access? Should they have to stop being so selfless in the future? -=-=- Check out my excellent homepage!
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 14:59
JL235	spinal first of all, you can't accidentally copy peoples files in many differnt countries (wasn't there similar complaints in five or so other coutntries?) Google specifically went out to attempt to steal peoples files etc. That's not what they were trying to do. They were trying to find public wifi points that they can then list on Google Maps. In order to do this they just saved whatever was being publicly transmitted, which happened to include files and passwords. It's no different to walking around with a tape recorder and 'just happen' to record people openly talking about their passwords. If your openly shouting out your private details then your asking for trouble.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 15:26
Stealth	Like it or not, this is public information. It's no different from me recording myself on video and accidentally catching someones computer screen in it. People shouldn't be pissed off that other people are viewing something of theirs in public. That's why it's called the public. Google is just doing this on a much more massive scale (which doesn't make it more illegal). Recording unsecured wifi hotspots is kind of a dick move, but shouldn't be illegal. It's kind of like someone telling everyone who doesn't lock their house at night. It's taboo for sure and I would fault Google for it. -=-=- Quit posting and try Google.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 15:35
JL235	Thing is that if I leave my house unlocked then you shouldn't walk in, eat my food and sleep in my bed. That should be (and hopefully is) illegal. Same thing applies with unsecured wifi. It's wrong and should be illegal, even if you are asking for it.
Wed, 03 Nov 2010, 15:59
Stealth	It's not legal for people to access your unsecured wifi, but it is questionable if telling people about it is illegal. Kind of like torrents. They don't actually break the law, but they tell you how to. -=-=- Quit posting and try Google.