Google Street View Wi-Fi Collection - letter to OAIC

(by emailed letter 27 July 2012)

Mr Timothy Pilgrim
Privacy Commissioner
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Copy to: Mark Hummerston and Melanie Drayton

Dear Commissioner

Re: Google Street View Wi-Fi Collection

Google has recently confirmed that it still has in its possession a portion of payload data collected by our Street View vehicles in Australia. Google apologizes for this error.

In recent months, Google has been reviewing its handling of Street View disks and undertaking a comprehensive manual review of our Street View disk inventory. That review involves the physical inspection and re-scanning of thousands of disks. In conducting that review, we have determined that we continue to have payload data from Australia and other countries. We are in the process of notifying the relevant authorities in those countries.

Google intends to delete the Australian disks that we located. If you would prefer that we take another course of action, please advise us by 3rd September 2012 so that we can ensure no steps are taken in that regard without further consultation with you.

Yours respectfully

Google Inc