Google may face US probe over data collection

The search engine giant Google Inc may face probe from German and American US agencies following its disclosure that it had recorded messages sent over unsecured wireless networks.

Google, had last Friday admitted that its StreetView cars, responsible for photographing streets across the world, had been wrongly collected information from people's wi-fi activity for the past three years.

According to the Financial Times, German commissioner for data protection Peter Schaar called for a 'detailed probe' by independent authorities into the practice by Google. He said the group's explanation of the collection of data as an accident is 'highly unusual'.

"One of the largest companies in the world, the market leader on the Internet, simply disobeyed normal rules in the development and usage of software," the report said citing Schaar.

he daily said the US federal trade commission is expected to launch an inquiry in the US as well. An inquiry could look at whether the collection of data breached rules on unauthorised access to computers and private communications.

On Friday, Google said it had been using a fleet of camera-equipped StreetView vehicles, which take pictures for the group's imaging services, and had been at the same time using the cars to assemble a database of electronic WiFi addresses intended to improve the functioning of its maps and other location services.

Google said the project leaders ignored that the vehicles were also taking in snippets of activity on the WiFi networks.

While in Britain, the information commissioner's office said that Google appeared to have breached the Data Protection Act, the report noted. But it added after receiving assurances from Google that it would delete the data "as soon as reasonably possible", the commissioner would not be taking further action against the company.