Do no evil, right? Internet giant, Google has agreed to pay a $7 million fine for the collection of personal data without authorisation for their Street View service. Google has also agreed to destroy emails, passwords and web histories in a settlement with 38 states in the USA.

The data was collected from wireless networks as neighbourhoods were photographed with Street View cars between 2008 and 2010.

The firm said in a statement:

We work hard to get privacy right at Google. But in this case we didn’t, which is why we quickly tightened up our systems to address the issue. The project leaders never wanted this data, and didn’t use it or even look at it. We’re pleased to have worked with Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and the other state attorneys general to reach this agreement.

The legal settlement was announced by New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman stating:

Consumers have a right to protect their vital personal and financial information from improper and unwanted use by corporations like Google.

This settlement addresses privacy issues and protects the rights of people whose information was collected without their permission.

Apart from Google deleting all harvested data, they are also required to launch an employee training program about privacy and data use, which is set to continue for at least 10 years. The internet firm must also launch a public service advertising campaign which will educate consumers on protection of their information on wireless networks.

[Source: BBC News]