Federal Investigators: Google obstructed justice in snooping case

To some, the decline was in full swing when the term “google” became a proper name, but when “Google” as a proper name (and therefore a noun) began to be used as a verb, as in “Google it,” when referring to an Internet-based search.

Is this not another case in point for strong regulation?

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Google fined by FCC for impeding Street View probe

By Hayley Tsukayama, Monday, April 16, 9:44 AM

The Federal Communications Commission has cleared Google of charges that it illegally collected WiFi data using its Street View cars, but fined the company $25,000 for obstructing the bureau’s investigation.

According to the FCC filing, the company has not been helping U.S. regulators look into the matter. “For many months, Google deliberately impeded and delayed the Bureau’s investigation by failing to respond to requests for material information and to provide certifications and verifications of its responses,” the filing said.

The agency subpoenaed a Google engineer, identified only as Engineer Doe, who then invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself.

Google has said previously that the data collection was accidental, and the company has been under scrutiny for the practice in Canada, France and the Netherlands. The company has said that it will submit a response to the filing, and that it takes issue with some of what was said in the document.

“As the FCC notes in their report, we provided all the materials the regulators felt they needed to conclude their investigation and we were not found to have violated any laws,” a Google spokesman said in a statement. “We disagree with the FCC’s characterization of our cooperation in their investigation and will be filing a response.”

Related stories:

FCC investigates Google for Street View privacy breach

Google ‘mortified’ that Street View cars scarfed up e-mail, passwords; privacy criticism intensifies

Google Street View privacy flap shows growing rift between U.S., E.U.

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