Google has reportedly been asked to provide CNIL, a privacy watchdog in France, with data it collected from Street View, which it has not deleted.
Last week, reports emerged that the company acknowledged that it had not kept a promise to delete all personal data (like emails) it collected from Street View cars a couple years ago. Reuters reported, “Google said the data came to light when it searched by hand its Street View disk inventory.”
The company reportedly apologized for the error, but now CNIL wants a look at what Google did not delete.
A statement from CNIL posted today says (translated via Google Translate):
During inspections carried out in 2009 and 2010, the CNIL had found that Google was collecting from its vehicles dedicated to Street View service, data on Wi-Fi networks These checks had revealed various shortcomings, including the capture without the knowledge of those concerned, data called “content” (IDs, passwords, login details, email exchanges).
These observations led the CNIL to pronounce, in March 2011, a fine of € 100,000 against the company Google.
Following this decision, Google informed the CNIL, in June 2011, she proceeded to destroy the data collected illegally.
However, by letter dated July 27, 2012, Google warned the CNIL, and other European authorities for data protection, she was still in possession of some of the data “content” collected by the Street View cars .
Like its British counterpart, the CNIL has asked Google to make available the data in question and to keep secure time to conduct all necessary investigations.
This is by no means the first time CNIL has had its eye on Google. You may recall, for example, earlier this year when Google announced its changes to its privacy policy, CNIL had a big letter and questionnaire for Google to explain itself.
A lot of people have distrusted Google’s privacy practices for years, and the whole Street View snafu only caused more alarm. This whole failure to delete data debacle certainly hasn’t helped the company’s image.