[LINK] google misdeeds and Australia's Privacy Commissioner

[Craig Sanders]

On Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 05:31:34PM +1000, Stephen Wilson wrote:
> All these niceties and technicalities about wireless networking and 
> telecomms are simply besides the point.  Craig Sanders for one implores 
> people to understand how wifi works.  Symmetrically, I implore people to 
> understand what information privacy law says (even if some find it 
> counterintuitive or affronting).
> 
> Businesses are not allowed to collect personally identifiable 
> information without a good reason and without consent.  Now that we know 
> Google was collecting payload data and not just address data, it is 
> reasonable to assume that what they collected included personal 
> information, that is, any information about someone where their identity 
> is apparent.   

while you're talking about "imploring"....

once again, i implore you NOT to make the false assumption that
"collecting payload data" is synonymous with "collect personally
identifiable information".

fortunately, the rules of evidence for a court require more than just
unfounded assumptions.

there may or may not be PII in the payload data. but you have to PROVE
it. merely claiming that it is there is not enough.


craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>