Google destroys unauthorised NZ data

Privacy Commissioner has received independent verification that unauthorised data from wi-fi networks is now gone

Unauthorised data collected from New Zealand wi-fi networks by Google Street View cars have finally been destroyed, the Privacy Commissioner has confirmed.

Google had initially said that data was destroyed in early 2011, but later informed agencies that a disk containing New Zealand and Australian data had been missed.

"We're pleased to see the certificate from an independent agency verifying the irretrievable destruction of the New Zealand data," says Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff.

In 2010 it was revealed that the search engine giant had collected packets of information transferred across wi-fi while mapping streets in New Zealand and globally. Google uses wifi SSID’s to improve the accuracy of its Google Maps platform.

In December of that year the Privacy Commissioner found that Google breached New Zealand privacy laws, and ordered the destruction of the data.

Wireless router users wanting to opt out of having their wifi point mapped can add the tag “_nomap” to their SSIDs.