Google will turn data to regulators in Germany, Spain and France

Google is trying to fix the problem with the gathered data from unprotected WiFi networks by the code used in the Street View application and has decided to turn over the data to the European regulators. If you recall, last month Google announced that it had discovered that the program used to collect Street View images included another Google engineer’s experimental code which was gathering data off of unprotected WiFi networks.

The Street View cars have accidentally collected 600 gigabytes of e-mails, Web browsing history and much more important data from unsecured WiFi networks from more than 30 regions, such as the United States of America, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Spain and France.

Google Founder Sergey Brin and CEOEric Schmidt have announced they are taking all precaution measures to prevent that this doesn’t happen again and that the code doesn’t include other surprise functions! Even though Google‘s officials have said they are planning on destroying the accidentally gathered data (perhaps they thought this will soon come to an end and will be forgotten), the authorities have requested it and the company has agreed to provide it.

Spain, Germany and France regulators have requested the gathered data and will receive it but the data from Austria, Denmark and Ireland was already deleted. Google got an order from a U.S District Court judge in Oregon to provide the data collected in the U.S to the U.S regulators. And this is only the beginning. Google is being sued by many people due to privacy law violations and so it was pretty obvious that the giant Internet company would soon provide the data to all regulators who will request it.

Also, Google will publish the results of an external audit into its Street View collection program and will provide an internal review into all the company’s privacy practices. These results are to be published sometime in July.