James Delahunty
22 Jun 2013 3:21
Google has been given 35 days to destroy data it had collected from unsecured Wi-Fi networks in the UK.
The search giant had accidentally grabbed and stored data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks in dozens of countries as its Street View vans took pictures for the popular service. Subsequent investigations had ordered Google to delete the data, which it pledged to do.
In the UK, it emerged last year that additional disks had more data accidentally collected from unsecured networks, prompting the UK Information Commissioner's Office to re-open the investigation.
It has ordered Google to destroy the data within 35 days and to report to it if any additional disks should emerge.
"Today's enforcement notice strengthens the action already taken by our office, placing a legal requirement on Google to delete the remaining payload data identified last year within the next 35 days and immediately inform the ICO if any further discs are found," said Stephen Eckersley, the office's head of enforcement.
"Failure to abide by the notice will be considered as contempt of court, which is a criminal offence."
The Office did not impose a fine on Google, however, saying that the breach failed to meet the levels required to justify a monetary penalty.