Mfarhanonline Social Media News: Google has been slapped with a $25,000 fine by the Federal Communications Commission for impeding an investigation into allegations that the company’s Street View cars illegally collected data from Wi-Fi networks as they drove past homes and businesses. Google ‘s Street View cars are designed to take photographs of streets across the world for use in Google Maps. As Google’s cars rolled from town to town, they also gathered unencrypted information from open wireless networks called “payload data.” Google picked up emails, text messages and web searches being made while the Street View cars were rolling close enough to pick up a wireless signal, according to The Washington Post . Google claimed the payload data collection, which happened from January 2008 to April 2010, was accidental but legal. A Google engineer involved with the project pleaded his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent when subpoenaed by the FCC. The exact depth of the data collected remains unknown. The FCC claims that was only one of the decisions Google made to deliberately delay the investigation. SEE ALSO: Google Street View Under Investigation By FCC Over Privacy REPORT "For many months, Google deliberately impeded and delayed the Bureau's investigation by failing to respond to requests for material information and to provide certifications and verifications of its responses," said the FCC’s filing. The practice is also under the microscope of authorities in Canada and several European countries, including France and the Netherlands. Google’s 2011 revenue was $37 billion. Do you think Google has done enough to be upfront about the data it’s collected? Sound off in the comments below. More About: Google , Google Maps , street view , US Social Media reviews series maintain by Mayya
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