The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information has fined Google EUR 145,000 for illegal recording of Wi-Fi networks. Between 2008 and 2010, Google not only took photographs of streets and houses for its service Google Street View, but also at the same time captured wireless networks within range of the vehicles used for that purpose. In response to an inquiry by the Commissioner for Data Protection, Google admitted that content data of unencrypted Wi-Fi connections had also been recorded. The Hamburg authorities have now concluded that Google had, negligently and without authorisation, captured and stored personal data. It has also ordered the company to complete delete all captured data.
