The Wi-Fi database that shamed Google?

www.newscientist.com...

Quote from source:
By now, most of us in the US, the UK and Australia, plus many elsewhere in Europe, have got used to the fact that images of almost every house on every street are available online for all to see via the Street View facility in Google Maps.

But last week many were shocked to learn that while the advertising giant's camera-equipped cars were zipping past our front doors, they were not just collecting panoramic photos. Wi-Fi antennas on the cars were hunting down wireless computer networks, and equipment inside was recording the networks' names, locations and the unique MAC address of the routers supporting them.

The revelation has, not for the first time, prompted a wave of accusations that Google doesn't care about privacy anywhere near enough.

Map maker

Google says it has collected the data in order to improve the accuracy with which smartphones can pinpoint their location on Google Maps, especially in city centres where GPS may be unreliable.

I wanted to share this because I hate google.

They have had to many breaches of privacy and are becoming to big of a company that knows too much about everyone.

The fact that everyone's house is on their website drives me nuts.

Here's a little video about google.



Enjoy.

Any thoughts?

Pred...

Google is an abomination! They are clearly a monopoly and should be subjected to anti-trust hearings. Keep in mind, the telephone company was divested in the 1980's for far less!

reply to post by predator0187


I predict your thread will be deleted in 3, 2 ,1. There was a similar thread deleted yesterday on the same topic. ATS must be in bed with Google, because any thread on here that says anything negatve about Google gets deleted. Good luck.

Oh yeah and google is the devil. Look into Eric Schmidt the CEO of Google. That man is a piece of work.

[edit on 3-5-2010 by SlickOil]

The thing is it's not illegal to scan WIFI networks..

If they tried to connect/use them then maybe..

Wow. Hadn't heard that one...thanks.

Really makes you wonder where that data will end up...

I can't stand Google myself. What are the alternatives?

I think this is just typical paranoid nonsense along the lines of that carry on a while back about census takers making GPS bookmarks at home addresses.

They are only trying to improve the system, which at the moment can get very woolly in places. Smartphones do take ages to update locations and are often inaccurate. If they were to use peoples routers signals to pinpoint locations faster thats great. Its impossible for them to use this data in any way other than that.

Trying to object to it as if its some kind of invasion of privacy is just assinine. The same goes for the street view feature. What kind of an idiot has a problem with views of their house from the street being on the internet?

Google are not collecting more information that that which is freely publically available. Your house can be viewed by anyone walking passed and your wireless ID can be accessed just as easily. If you don't want people viewing that information stop broadcasting your ID and grow conifers in front of your house. Also consider covering your face when you go out in public.

Please name one way in which Google could use this information against you or to invade you privacy.

It doesn't matter what they use it for.

They SAID that they were just taking photograph, basically. They lied.

That is enough. They lied, so the question is: what else are they lieing about? And i don't care how public the information is, they have no right to record and disseminate this information.

What alternatives are there? I have been using google for years, because they were miles ahead of any competition. But lately my gmail seems more of an albatross that a value. Ditto for searching anything. I do not like that they are recording every single whim that passes through my mostly empty head.

It's a quandary, i don't have anything to hide, generally. But, if someone took the time to look at me, i wouldn't want there to be anything to look at. Get my drift?

Originally posted by Violater1
I can't stand Google myself.

You and me both.

Originally posted by Violater1What are the alternatives?

Startpage is my personal favorite. They don't record your IP at all and the search engine has a built-in proxy feature.

Every time you use a regular search engine, your search data are recorded.
Your search terms, the time of your visit, the links you choose, your IP address and your User ID cookies all get stored in a database.

The identity profiles that can be constructed from this cloud of information represent modern day gold for marketers.
But government officials, hackers and even criminals also have an interest in getting their hands on your personal search data.
And sooner or later they will...


*You have a right to privacy.

*Your search data should never fall into the wrong hands.

*The only real solution is quickly deleting your data or not storing them to begin with.

*Since January 2009 we do not record our users' IP addresses anymore.

*We are the first and only search engine to do so.

source

I rarely use Google anymore.


TheAssoc.

reply to post by TheAssociate


As this is a conspiracy website, why do you *assume* that Startpage is telling you the truth?

I don't believe for a second that's true. I'd wager that given some individual doing genuine terrorist research and using Smartpage, they'd have any one of the local anti-terrorist squads either investigating their internet habits or something more serious.

Unless someone has fully implemented their own anon proxy service which they themselves configured, I do not believe your ip is 'hidden'. Hell, if I were a genuine conspiracy nut, I'd say that Smartpage was a front just to encourage dodgy practices in order to monitor them

As for Google - what sort of nefarious plots have they come up with to remove your freedoms or invade the "privacy" you guys claim is yours? Have they done anything that has actually impeded your personal liberties? Have they breached any privacy laws?

I'm a fan of Google myself (despise Apple, half-half on M$) and so far, I've got nothing against them. But more importantly, I've also got nothing to hide...

[edit on 4-5-2010 by noonebutme]

Wow i have to agree with those who think this is harmless. My son can get 20 or so network id's with his nintendo DS but cannot connect to them without the wep key. Its freely available info that your router is sending.

So what if they lied about what they are doing.

Originally posted by fizzy1
So what if they lied about what they are doing.

No ways. If you don't find a problem with corporates (or anyone) lying to you ... then you really don't understand do you?

reply to post by noonebutme


Well, they were awarded the European Privacy Seal, for what it's worth. Here's the criteria for the award (PDF).

There's this:

Startpage has been registered with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (CBP) under number M 1346973. This Authority supervises the fair and lawful use and security of your personal data, to ensure your privacy today and in the future.
Source

There's this.

And these:

The Q&A's.

And additionally, these:

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Feel free to do your own research into the company, and draw your own conclusions.

If you're still feeling paranoid, there's always Scroogle and Tor.

Make sure to change your tinfoil hat often, I hear their effectiveness wears off with frequent use.


TheAssoc.

[edit on 4-5-2010 by TheAssociate]

Violator1,

You want a GREAT search engine, try Ixquick ! I doesn't keep any records of your searches or your travels on the net on it's servers. the sites you go to might but not them!

Zindo



[edit on 5/4/2010 by ZindoDoone]

reply to post by ZindoDoone


Yup, that's the one I was referring to.

Startpage = Ixquick.

Apparently some don't trust their claims and credentials, but I posted them above for anyone who wishes to peruse them.

Personally, I agree, Ixquick/Startpage is the best, most private search engine out there. And with the built-in proxy feature, the pages you visit from the engine never knew you were there.


TheAssoc.

[edit on 4-5-2010 by TheAssociate]

reply to post by TheAssociate


Ahhh, ok. I didn't know the two were in fact the same outfit. Thanks!

Zindo

www.abovetopsecret.com...