Google France fined for collecting private data with its Street View program

U.S. Internet giant Google was fined 100,000 euros in France to collect data through its controversial Street View mapping program, said the secretary general of the National Commission for Informatics and Liberties (CNIL), Yann Padova.
As reported by the organization in a statement, the fine was imposed because the company did not respond to requests for CNIL "within the time limit."
The organization asked the finder to cease data collection and gave them a copy of all information obtained in the country. After analyzing the data, they discovered that in addition to technical data, information was collected as "data connection to websites, passwords messaging services, email addresses and exchanges of emails with sensitive information."
The browser has undertaken to cease the collection of data from their cars and remove all information collected by mistake.

Google Street View

In an interview published by Le Parisien, Yann Padova, noted that data collection by Google has made the company has "fueled a geolocation database that is now worth its weight in gold and allows you to dominate the dial."

In addition, Padova added that the fine-record in France for such a penalty, also bearing in mind that Google "did not cooperate frankly" during investigations.

The secretary general of the French body responsible for ensuring freedom in the network described the behavior of the U.S. company as "particularly serious intrusion."
Google vehicles on the streets not only capture pictures but 'aspired' "all the information passing through wireless Internet connections are not protected," which includes "personal emails, links to all sorts of web pages and even information on prescription drugs, "he said.

Private data of Street Views

For its part, the director of data protection technology company, Peter Fleischer, said in a statement sent to Efe that Google collected data "by mistake" from "wireless networks (WiFi) is not protected."
"Since we knew what was happening, we stop our cars in Street View and report immediately to the French authorities. Our aim has always been to destroy the data and we welcome the CNIL has given us permission" to do so.
The secretary general of CNIL admitted that in April 2010, Google acknowledged its error and that once the case is closed, the Internet giant will proceed to the destruction of the data obtained unlawfully.
France is not the only place that has emerged this polemic. Similar processes have emerged open in 37 U.S. states and other countries such as Spain, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and South Korea.