Everyone’s friend Google is getting some flak in Germany for collecting private wi-fi networks with its Street View fleet.

The Street View part of Google Maps has yet to launch in German, and it had already had plenty of critics among Germany’s very private populous. But once privacy officials found out that the service would offer up much more than simple pictures, they were far from pleased.

Germany’s Federal Commissioner for Data Protection Peter Schaar says he’s “horrified” by the discovery.

“I am appalled… I call upon Google to delete previously unlawfully collected personal data on the wireless network immediately and stop the rides for Street View,” according to German broadcaster ARD.

Spooks have long desired the ability to cross reference the Mac address of a user’s connection with their real identity and virtual identity, such as their Gmail or Facebook account.

It’s really no wonder that people are upset, it wouldn’t be hard a malevolent government or law enforcement agency to take advantage of these to quash free speech or gain a virtual window into a person’s mailbox. I think German especially has one eye open for the possibility of an authoritarian government.

Google says the MAC addresses are never shared with anyone and the wi-fi and network SSID information is only used to determine locations, but that has done little to ease the fears of the Germans.

Google has, of course, all this information in its American version of Street View, but nobody seems to care all that much.

[Via The Register]

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