From the you-gotta-be-kidding file comes word that Google has been accused of "drive-by spying" on Congressional members, including some who work with homeland security. The spying allegedly took place when Google uploaded e-mail or website viewing data while mapping its Google Street View.
As if that's not incredible enough in this security-conscious age, it's also reported that several Congresspeople, including Jane Harman (D-Calif.), chair of the intelligence subcommittee for the House homeland security committee (sounds convoluted but important) have unsecured wireless networks that make it easy for anyone to go in and grab the information they want.
The dirt (or paydirt, depending on your definition) on Google and the elected officials was dug up by Consumer Watchdog, which sniffed out the wireless networks of Congress folks whose Washington homes were pictured on the Google Street View database.
For more:
- see this story
Related articles:
Multiple states cooperate to investigate how Google gets its data
Google: Software engineer to blame for privacy debacle