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Part of the problem is the lack of security. If people bothered securing their networks this wouldn't have even happened. I swear security is an afterthought to most people these days.

Kuiske it is probably not an afterthought but a part of the problem. I have a wifi router at home to service a lap-top and a portable bookreader. My router remains unsecured because of relative visiting and of children having friends visit, bringing their own portable devices - it became such a routine giving out passwords that having a secure router was pointless.

I sorry, but if you don't want to take the basic steps of adding simple security you really should not complain. There are far worse things that can happen by leaving it open than Google using it.

Not saying it is right what Google did, but the blame goes both ways.

@GetReal it is not hard to add a basic password and just put a sticky on the fridge or something. Still a heck of a lot more secure than open. You are just opening up your personal information to attack by leaving it open.

ClintEschberger, on 16 April 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

Yup, Really all this article is saying that its legal to receive signals that are encrypted, which to be honest is something the would have a hard time enforcing.

I though about starting a company that would dumpster dive for personal information based on the number of recipts I see at ATMs and also gas stations.

The car went by my place 3 times in one day while doing street mapping. It was in range on my WIFi network for maybe 5 seconds. Big deal! The best way to secure your private information is to keep it off a computer attached to the internet. The easiest wasy to protect you WiFi is turn on and use its encryption features. People have to much to whine about these days if a 5 second drive by is an issue. Geez what do people do when someone parks in front of their location for minutes or hours? Or for that matter what might it be on their secured WiFi network that they are affraid of being discovered? Even cars have radio connection..

Google a stalker? They should re-try them on stalking!

Apparently the author doesn't have a clue as to how Google stores personal data that it collects on it's users. Google claims to store this data encrypted in such a way that even Google cannot pull out details on any individual account. Their search algorithms use the personal data but only the algorithm can access the data. Find a way to pull out the personal data that the Feds requested might even be impossible, but it would surely be extremely difficult, and what about the privacy of the users? Google claims to have never parsed the data back to individual users, because that would be an unacceptable invasion of privacy of those users, so how would it be OK to give that information to the Federal Government?

Look Google is a very big company with a bunch of young energetic engineers trying to create new technology for which there is no precedent. These young guys are likely to make some errors in judgement from time to time in their zeal to get things done fast. Perhaps they didn't go about their collecting of router locations and IDs in the most open way possible, but the reason for collecting the data was clearly for the benefit of all it's users. Google uses this data to give location information when there is no GPS data available (along with cell tower info), and anyone who has ever used Google Maps has used this feature. People are always worried when new technology, that they don't understand, is introduced on a large scale, but there is no evidence that Google has ever used any of the information that it collects for any other reason but to help them provide the service which we like so much that collectively we have made Google the biggest search engine in the world. Anyone who wants to can disable any of the Google data mining features that they don't like of don't feel comfortable with.

Just because you can do something doesn't make it right and as far as the FCC goes - there is not one Federal Regulatory Agency that has the testicular fortitude to actually enforce it's own rules when it comes to big business!

Since this is an opinion piece, my reply will also be an opinion (mine):

If you don't secure your wireless network, you get what you deserve. If it's too much trouble, that's your problem - not your next door neighbor's (or Google's).

GetReal, on 16 April 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

My NETGEAR N600 came with "Guest" Network, so you might want to look into that.
In this case, ignorance is not bliss.

Did Google hack the networks ? Or where they unencrypted ? If they are unencrypted, proving your packets is as legal as listening to Radio, you are broadcasting your signal.

Why is it so hard for even the simplest users to follow a simple process of setting up security and passwaord protect their WIFI routers. I use the WEP2, MAC filtering and the SSID is turned off. First, you can't find it unless I let you see it and you can't get in unless I have your MAC address loaded into the file. A properly placed router normally would not even be detected at the curb. The biggest thing that affects your security is location. Even some simple sheilding and no one outside your home would even know there was a router present. Maybe because it's too easy to open the box, plug it in and away you go, users never bother beyond that point. My desktop WIFI card is very sensitive, it picks up 5 more SSIDs that none of the other users can find. Of those 5, only three have any security and two have the default names. SHAME, SHAME. What makes it anyones fault but your own if you don't protect yourself. Better that someone known alerts them to their downfall than have a hacker fill their machines with kiddie porn.

This post has been edited by mjd420nova: 16 April 2012 - 05:41 PM

It is noted that, despite the Title, the author wholly avoids any discussion of legal issues.

Might that owe to the fact that the RF spectrum is public space, and that the author wasn't about to let his quest for a button-pushing Title be deterred by mere fact?

ClaudeD, on 16 April 2012 - 11:58 AM, said:

And how far does your WiFi extend? hey they spent a half hour on our street, though i don't worry ours is secured and we don't use the wireless on it hardly. Most of our systems are hardwired and we keep it that way. But it's still pretty low of them. Oh well if it's Googles browser or their Search, when you use them they get all kinds of info about you.