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StreetView passed by Kiwi cops

Google's data slurp legal in New Zealand

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Police in New Zealand have bounced a complaint about Google's StreetView service back to the country's Privacy Commissioner.

The Privacy Commissioner formally referred StreetView's unauthorised collection of Wi-Fi data to the police in June so cops could decide whether a crime had been committed.

Police said there was no evidence a crime had been committed.

But they did say it was a timely reminder for people to switch on their Wi-Fi security in order to stop data being slurped "either inadvertently or for more sinister purposes".

Aussie police are still investigating Google's mass Wi-Fi data slurp, as are regulators in the UK, Germany and Spain.

Some 38 states in the US are also investigating the ad giant. ®

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Re: Public data is public

It was not their collection of SSIDs, but the capture of wireless traffic which got them into trouble.

In many jurisdictions the interception of private communications is a crime, and, in my opinion, rightfully so.

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1

Well...

Just because the cops didn't press charges, does not make it legal. It is just not proven to be illegal... Yet...!

Anyone who runs unsecure wireless and expects no issues is like a Titanic passenger with ice water around their ankles hoping for the best.

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0

We've been over this

Leaving your door open does not make it legal for someone to walk inside.

Having an unlocked door does not make theft legal.

Having an unencrypted wireless network is not an invitation to steal data.

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