EPIC brings us up to date on inquiries concerning Google electronic sweeps (btw, many of the links on EPIC's latest newsletter go to dud Senate pages):
Investigations into Google's use of its Street View vehicles, which
have been operating in thirty countries between 2007 and 2010, have
intensified. These vehicles are equipped with multi-directional digital
cameras and are driven through cities capturing pedestrian-eye
photographs which are then matched to corresponding locations in Google
Maps. Now, Google has admitted that the cars also collected WiFi data.
On June 9, 2010, Google contradicted its earlier statements regarding
the collection and storage of "payload" data in a letter to the House
Energy and Commerce. Google's letter was in response to a letter from
House members Henry Waxman (D-CA), Joe Barton (R-TX), and Edward Markey
(D-MA) to CEO Eric Schmidt demanding answers about Google's Street View
data collection.
Google's latest admission raises questions about whether Google
violated federal and state wiretap laws and privacy laws. Rep. Barton
said that the matter ?warrants a hearing, at minimum" and that Google's
conduct is "ironic in view of the fact that Google is lobbying the
government to regulate Internet service providers, but not Google."
Rep. Markey declared, "We will continue to actively and aggressively
monitor developments in this area."
Congress is not alone in its interest in Street View. The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has indicated that it is considering
launching its own investigation. Joel Gurin, the Chief of the FCC's
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, warned consumers that
Google's "behavior" raises important privacy concerns, stating that the
collection of Wi-Fi data, "whether intentional or not . . . clearly
infringes on consumer privacy." He also said that the FCC Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau is "now addressing cyber security as a
high priority." EPIC recently wrote to the FCC urging the agency to
open such an investigation because "[t]he Commission plays a critical
role in safeguarding the integrity of communications networks and the
privacy of American consumers."
Several U.S. states have also opened investigations into Google Street
View. The attorneys general of Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts,
Michigan, and Missouri have all issued formal statements announcing
such investigations, and Maryland and New York are also reported to be
pursuing investigations. Connecticut Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal has described Google's "driveby data sweeps" of WiFi
networks as "deeply disturbing, a potentially impermissible, pernicious
invasion of privacy."
Global scrutiny of Google Street View has been intensifying as well.
The UK-based privacy watchdog Privacy International (PI) claims that an
audit of Google's Street View data collection shows that Google
separated out and systematically stored network content obtained from
private Wi-Fi devices. According to PI, the audit proves that Google's
collection and storage of the data was intentional, despite Google's
insistence that it "mistakenly" collected and stored the data. France's
National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL), meanwhile, has
released preliminary results of its Google Street View investigation.
According to the CNIL, Google "saved passwords for access to mailboxes"
and obtained content of electronic messages. The CNIL is pursuing the
investigation to determine whether Google engaged in "unfair and
unlawful collection of data" as well as "invasion of privacy and
individual liberties." In addition to the UK and France, at least 16
other countries are conducting their own investigations.
Google Blog Post Admitting Collection of WiFi Payload Data
http://www.epic.org/redirect/
FCC statement warning consumers about Google and privacy risks
http://reboot.fcc.gov/blog?
Letter from Representatives Waxman, Barton, and Markey to Google CEO
Eric Schmidt demanding answers about Street View
http://www.epic.org/redirect/
EPIC: Letter to FCC Regarding Google
http://epic.org/2010/05/epic-
Third-party Audit of Google
http://www.epic.org/redirect/
Privacy International: Statement Regarding Google Streetview and
Wifi Data Collection
http://www.epic.org/redirect/
Preliminary Results of French CNIL investigation (English) http://www.epic.org/redirect/ http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/06/packet-sniffing-laws-murky/ http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/06/packet-sniffing-laws-murky/ EPIC outlines cybersecurity measure: On June 10, 2010, Senators Lieberman, Collins, and Carper of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee introduced the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010. The Committee held a hearing on the legislation on June 15, 2010. The bill outlines several main proposals surrounding Cybersecurity. The bill would establish a White House Cyberspace Policy and a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications. Also, the bill would allow the President to declare a ?national cyber emergency? and implement emergency measures. However, this would not allow the President to set aside the requirements of the Wiretap Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Currently, EPIC is working to make public the National Security Agency's authority for Cybersecurity. On February 4, 2010, EPIC filed a lawsuit against the Agency and the National Security Council seeking a key document governing national Cybersecurity policy. EPIC has asserted that the Agency and Council violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to make public the directive and related records in response to EPIC's FOIA request. EPIC also issued a statement on February 10, 2010 to a House Foreign Affairs Committee recommending release of the secret document, which grants the Agency broad surveillance authority in cyberspace. Finally, EPIC President Marc Rotenberg and security expert Bruce Schneier debated former NSA Director Bruce McConnell and Harvard Law Professor Jonathan Zittrain at the Newseum on June 8, 2010. The proposition: The Threat of Cyberwar has been Grossly Exaggerated. Rotenberg/Schneier argued the Pro position; McConnell/Zittrain the Con position. The event was sponsored by Intelligence Squared US. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010 http://www.epic.org/redirect/ EPIC: Cybersecurity http://epic.org/privacy/ EPIC v. NSA http://epic.org/foia/NSPD54_ EPIC: Statement for the Record to a House Foreign Affairs Committee http://www.epic.org/redirect/ Intelligence Squared US, Cyberwar Debate http://www.epic.org/redirect/ The Electronic Frontier Foundation tells Facebook: More Privacy Improvements Needed. EFF, the ACLU of Northern California, and a coalition of privacy groups are urging Facebook to take six critical steps to protect members' information. https://www.eff.org/press/ EFF warns of EU search engine flimflam. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/ Gay agenda imperils blood supply, argues AIM's Cliff Kincaid. |
Kagan's pro-secrecy record.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gNTUu9ouVoXTwV-GGuLwaA4pdNeQD9GG61U80
UCal cops rapped on seizure of a journalist's photos.
http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=11454
Wikileaks to blow lid off Afgan nightmare.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062104670.html?hpid=topnews
Journalists squeezed by Palestinians.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211668&q=217063218&qz=e4636d
Peruvian editor set free.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211633&q=216935070&qz=dfb987
Israeli soldiers beat journalists.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211557&q=216862231&qz=b3b2f5
Obama lauded on Israel security advances.
http://pubrecord.org/commentary/7879/israels-security-media-underreported/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=israels-security-media-underreported
Iranian prisoners of conscience remembered.
http://www.ifex.org/iran/2010/06/22/elections_anniversary/
The Aussie press is reporting that Labor's prospects are dimming in the backlash over Comm Czar Stephen Conroy's plan for mandatory government control of internet content.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/21/oz_firewall/
Labor gov't elusive on internet surveillance plan.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/govt-elusive-on-web-history-collection-20100621-ysbk.html
National Party opposes 'net nanny' law.
http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/39885-national-party-members-vote-against-internet-filter
The Trotskyists have a deserved reputation for journalistic accuracy.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jun2010/pers-j14.shtml
Another Filipino journalist slain.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211523&q=216750987&qz=750e93
IG to look into library snooping by feds.
http://info.ifex.org/View.aspx?id=211495&q=216692848&qz=2d2afa
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