FCC Apparently Not Satisfied With FTC's Google WiFi Investigation, Opens Its Own Investigation

from the over-what-exactly? dept

Wed, Nov 10th 2010 6:15pm — Mike Masnick

So the FTC concluded its investigation of Google's Street View WiFi data collection screwup with no actual penalties. Since then, there's been a lot of pressure from Congressional reps who have a long history of complaining about Google to get the government to reopen the investigation. So, it should make them happy to know that the FCC appears to be picking up where the FTC left off and is opening its own investigation. Of course, I'm not quite sure what Google did here that's under the FCC's mandate. Did it violate the FCC's Part 15 rules in some way? I can't see much that Google did that would fall under the FCC's purview, so I can't imagine this investigation ending with any serious consequences for Google but it seems like this is one political football that just won't go away.

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Filed Under: data, investigation, street view, wifi
Companies: fcc, google

25 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2010 @ 7:29pm

this is just retarded...do none of these congresscritters realize that this problem would have been avoided if people weren't sending crap in the clear? Probably not, since crypto is only used by pirates and terrorists...right?

bah and bloody humbug
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David, 10 Nov 2010 @ 7:34pm

As you mentioned it's special interests and their bought politicians that were waiting for this sort of slip-up and are trying to milk it as far as they can, fortunately they have no case here.
Not to mention the tax dollars spent investigating something that is neither illegal nor harmed anyone.
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2010 @ 7:37pm

Proof that zombies are real.

I hope it's not the case that Google secretly paid FTC members to make this go away and now the FCC also wants to get paid too.
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abc gum, 10 Nov 2010 @ 7:59pm

Que the darryl nonsensical rant in 3 .. 2 .. 1
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TAMRENAMEDTODARRYL, 10 Nov 2010 @ 8:24pm

What the heck Mike. Someone needs to stand up to Google. After all, they're invading my privacy. I can't be bothered to learn how to encrypt my WiFi, that's too complicated. I spent a month trying to figure it out and I just couldn't.

Besides, I wouldn't need encryption if people were honest enough not to hack my Wifi. It's all the dishonest peoples faults for requiring me to have encryption and they should be discovered, investigated, and punished for their actions without me having to be punished for their actions by the requirement of encrypting my Wifi. Why should I be punished and go through the trouble to encrypt my Wifi because of them. No, I shouldn't be punished, they should be punished and this Google case can set an example to all the dishonest people that want to hack my Wifi. You're not going make me go through the punishment of encrypting my Wifi because of your dishonesty. No, if you hack my wifi you're the only one who's going to get punished.

Why face the punishment of having to pay for locks on my door just because some burglar might otherwise break in. All these burglars are making us pay money for locks, they should be punished. If we didn't have burglars we wouldn't need locks. It's a punishment against those who did nothing wrong and I won't tolerate it.
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- Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2010 @ 8:35pm
  
  Re:
  Good effort, but your comment didn't make me want to rip my eyes out of my head, set them on fire, stomp on them, then throw them out of the window.
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- Spectere (profile), 10 Nov 2010 @ 9:55pm
  
  Re:
  Your door lock analogy is deeply flawed, as your physical property line does not extend into your neighbor's house. Your wireless router is broadcasting a radio signal into public airspace. Listening in requires about as much "hacking" as turning on your radio does. Hell, wi-fi enabled devices have to "listen in" to a certain extent just to get a list of what access points they can connect to. I'll bet your network was "accessed" hundreds of times by devices in your cloud for the purpose of seeing what was available to connect to, and I'll bet your network was already "hacked" several times by devices that automatically connect to unsecured access points. Should people who own those devices be punished?
  
  The way I see it, you're making a flimsy emotional argument based on your lack of knowledge. If you had it your way, radio and TV stations would be able to sue anyone who tuned into them, because what's happening is the exact same thing.
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  - TAMRENAMEDTODARRYL, 11 Nov 2010 @ 4:48am
    
    Re: Re:
    "I'll bet your network was "accessed" hundreds of times by devices in your cloud for the purpose of seeing what was available to connect to"
    
    Really? This should be illegal!!! I never knew such a thing is likely happening. The FCC needs to intervene and stop this practice immediately!!!! People should go to jail for accessing my network without first asking me.
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  - abc gum, 11 Nov 2010 @ 4:50am
    
    Re: Re:
    I'm faily certain that was a parody of prior posters.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 4:53am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      (shhh!!!! Don't tell him, I want to see how long I can keep this up)
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      - DH's Love Child (profile), 11 Nov 2010 @ 6:50am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        If you really want to do it right you need to randomly post in all caps or all bold. ;)
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        TAMRENAMEDTODARRYL, 11 Nov 2010 @ 8:18am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        MY ALL bold and ALL CAPS is not RaNdOm. IT'S GrammaticaLLy correct with THE Intent of Highlighting THE most Important Points.
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        TAMRENAMEDTODARRYL, 11 Nov 2010 @ 8:29am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        It's JuSt that My Use oF boLd and Caps is Too aDvanCed fOr AnyOne heRe to UnderStand. Only Smart Geniuses on our pro IP Law BlOgs wiTH CLoSEd comments arE Smart eNough tO Understand.
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        Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 12:23pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Don't forget that you cannot have any more than 2 or 3 lines of text before making a line break.
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Pixelation, 10 Nov 2010 @ 9:34pm

Not dead yet
"I'm not dead. "
"Well, he will be soon, he's very ill. "
"I'm getting better."
"No you're not, you'll be stone dead in a moment. "
"Well, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations. "

I guess a new lawsuit will be necessary. ;)
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Spectere (profile), 10 Nov 2010 @ 9:57pm

You know what's funny? If Google hadn't admitted anything, nobody would have known about it. Instead they came clean, admitted that they screwed up and cooperated with investigative efforts, and now they're getting crucified for it.

What's the moral of the story? If you are unlikely to get caught, admit nothing. Ever.
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 8:35am
  
  Re:
  deny till you die, brother
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 8:59am
  
  Re:
  In this country, honesty and integrity are punishable by law. That's why big corporations and the govt they control don't like Google, Google is honest compared to the rest of them (though it's true that Google isn't perfect).
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- Jon Noowtun, 11 Nov 2010 @ 11:09pm
  
  Re:
  You know what's funny? If Google hadn't admitted anything, nobody would have known about it. Instead they came clean, admitted that they screwed up and cooperated with investigative efforts, and now they're getting crucified for it.
  
  Everyone knows that Gargle was CAUGHT stealing WiFi data!!!!! I demand that this comment be censor... um, I mean deleted for trying to defend Gobble!!!!! It's obviously posted by a Goggle shill!!!!!
  
  www.Pee2PeeNet.net
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2010 @ 11:57pm

Will they investigate the pedobear movie that is hitting the theaters with the name of "Yogi Bear"?
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 1:29am

Re:
I was blissfully unaware of that until now. Good grief. Yogi too? How many is it now? Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Josie and the Pussycats, Scooby-Doo, Garfield, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Underdog... Why does Hollywood keep making pathetic remakes of old cartoons?
Now Yogi Bear. Good thing I'm one of those cord-cutters Mike keeps talking about, because I think if I saw a commercial for that movie my eyeballs would melt out of sheer disgust.
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- btrussell (profile), 11 Nov 2010 @ 3:04am
  
  Re: Re:
  Copyright. Enabling creativity throughout the ages.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2010 @ 7:18am

They have to give the FCC something to do.
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darryl, 11 Nov 2010 @ 7:42am

Thats funny !!!, so the US, UK, and a bunch of other countries.. they are all wrong..
If you trust google, good for you.

all the more power too you,, have fun..

If google has not done anything wrong they will find that out, wont they!

If you are honest it does not matter how often you are investigated..

Chew on that !!!!.

And if I dont make a comment you just make one up for me :)..
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- btrussell (profile), 11 Nov 2010 @ 9:24am
  
  Re: Thats funny !!!, so the US, UK, and a bunch of other countries.. they are all wrong..
  "If you are honest it does not matter how often you are investigated.."
  
  Your tax dollars hard at work!
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