France has fined Google a record €100,000 (about $142,000 U.S.). This is the first fine leveled against Google after it was discovered last year that Google had collected Wi-Fi data, including e-mails and passwords, from unsecured networks while collecting Street View images for Google Maps.
Google unfairly collected information under French law and received economic benefits from the data; and "Google has not refrained from using the data identifying Wi-Fi access points of individuals without their knowledge," according to France's National Commission for Information Freedom (CNIL), the AFP reported.
After the ruling came out, Google once again apologized.
"As we have said before, we are profoundly sorry for having mistakenly collected payload data from unencrypted WiFi networks," said Google's lawyer for privacy issues, Peter Fleischer. "Deleting the data has always been our priority, and we're happy the CNIL has given permission for us to do so," he added in a statement.
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- Google Stops Street View Data Collection After Canada, Spain Complaints
- 244,000 Germans Demand Removal of Google Street View Imagery
- Schmidt's Solution to Street View Privacy Concerns? 'Just Move'
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