ACI was very pleased to see that Google will be held accountable for its alleged violations of consumers’ privacy that have resulted from their collection of data from Street View.  As all consumers become increasingly concerned about privacy issues on the Internet, the extent and multitude of reported instances involving Google may suggest systematic problems or indifference with the protection of consumer privacy.  This latest example, the reported collection of Wi-Fi data, may be the most egregious of all.  Fortunately, 40 state attorneys general from both sides of the aisle and regulators across the globe have taken notice of what might be an illegal collection of consumer data for profit, and through their collective actions these attorneys general may be forcing Google to acknowledge the full nature of this data collection.

 

 It is encouraging to see the beginning of a negotiated settlement and we are cautiously optimistic that Google will finally come clean about the extent of its data.  Transparency is critical so that consumers know what kind of information was collected about them.

           

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