
Google Has Been Snooping on Your Wireless Network - duck
http://www.pcworld.com/article/196630/Google_Privacy.html
======
ryanwaggoner
_When Google sends its fleet of camera-equipped cars into the streets to snap
pictures of your neighborhood for its Street View product, these cars are also
collecting something a little extra: The name and unique MAC address of every
open WiFi network they encounter along the way...That alone is somewhat
problematic. For one thing, a network ID could contain personally identifiable
information, like your name, or something goofy but potentially embarrassing,
like "My Neighbors Suck."_

What? How is it problematic from a privacy standpoint if Google is recording
information that you're literally broadcasting into the ether? And aren't your
neighbors most likely to find out by, say, seeing it in their list of nearby
hotspots? That's like saying that it's problematic that people take pictures
on the street, because you might be wearing a t-shirt that reveals that you
dislike the police. If you want that information to be private, don't wear
such a t-shirt in public.

~~~
getonit
Exactly right, but common sense doesn't sell upgrades or feed entitlement :(

------
daeken
I love that the fact that the data represents at most 0.2 seconds of traffic
from a given AP isn't mentioned. Responsible journalism would be nice.

~~~
michaelcampbell
Amen. This story feels quite forced. I keep waiting for the "NOW how much
would you pay? But wait, there's more!" tagline...

~~~
getonit
How'd you like to upgrade to the latest, greatest WiFi gizmo going? I'm sure
PCWorld can help you out there.

~~~
michaelcampbell
I'm afraid you have me at a loss there... I'm missing some context.

