Tag Archives: emails

GOOGLE COLLECTED PERSONAL DATA FROM HOUSEHOLD WIFI

A few years ago, Google sent out an army of cars with cameras on top, to photograph images of streets at eye level, no matter how remote or obscure. To date they have covered an impressive area.

At the time, some believed Google were also collecting private data from residents wi-fi connection. Like emails and passwords.

However, Google denied it.

But now, an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has found that Google cars did carry software, which harvested data being transferred from unsecured wifi networks, as their cars passed by.

According to the reports, the cars could collect 250 kb of data per router, or 25 emails each.

Some have said, this is the fault of the residents for not securing their wifi networks.

But why would Google allow software to be installed in a car meant to be just taking photographs?

If I walked into your front door, even if you had left it open, and opened your mail and read it, would you not be mad? Is that not illegal?

Is this so different?

And what now? Are street view cameras still harvesting our data? Do they still have this data stored, along with all the other data they harvest from their customers every second of every day?

And how are they using it?

Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don’t want the government spying on you

It is common knowledge that governments scour the data sent over the internet on websites, social media, and email for potential threats. They do so by searching for the certain keywords, they believe highlight a potential threat. Unsurprisingly, the list includes words like: “bomb”, al Qaeda”, “terrorist”; however the list contains some more unlikely additions, like: “pork, “cloud”, “team” and “Mexico”.

As well as monitoring potential terrorist threats government agencies are also trying to find criminals, and identify health risks.

The Department of Homeland Security was forced to publish the list after a freedom of information request. So if you don’t want the government spying on you below is the words not to use online: