Congressmen ask FCC to fully investigate Google's collection of Wi-Fi payload data

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) just can't shake the fallout from it collection of personal information inadvertently gathered from Wi-Fi hotspots last year. Two congressmen have asked the Federal Communications Commission to embark on a full investigation into Google's flub last May.

Last year, Google admitted its Street View cars had collected information from unencrypted WiFi networks, and this information included entire email addresses, web site addresses and passwords.

Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said in an letter to the commission that, "We still don't have answers as to how this security breach was allowed to take place and how many Americans were affected, let alone a credible assurance that it won't happen again."

The Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation into Google in October, but the FCC is now investigating whether Google's action violated the Communications Act.

More recently, Connecticut's attorney general and its consumer protection commissioner said they reached an agreement with Google over the search giant's refusal to cooperate with a civil investigative demand to hand over data it collected from unsecured WiFi networks in that state.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had issued, in cooperation with the state's Department of Consumer Protection, a civil investigative complaint that compelled Google to hand over the data by Dec. 17. Google refused. The agreement allows Google and the state of Connecticut, along with the 40-state coalition it is leading, to begin negotiations to resolve the data collection issue without going to court to enforce the civil investigative demand, which is equivalent to a subpoena.

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