Google Inc. has taken reasonable steps to improve its privacy policies, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said today, following an audit at the company’s London office. The ICO’s audit – which took place in London in July – was agreed as part of the terms of an undertaking that Google signed in November 2010 after the company reported that its Street View cars had collected Wi-Fi payload data alongside the location mapping information that was the stated aim of the project.
The audit found that Google has taken action in all of the agreed improvement areas. The ICO has now asked the company to go further to enhance privacy, including ensuring that users are given more information about the privacy aspects of Google products.
Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, said: “I’m satisfied that Google has made good progress in improving its privacy procedures following the undertaking they signed with me last year. All of the commitments they gave us have been progressed and the company have also accepted the findings of our audit report where we’ve asked them to go even further”.
“The ICO’s Google audit is not a rubber stamp for the company’s data protection policies. The company needs to ensure its work in this area continues to evolve alongside new products and technologies. Google will not be filed and forgotten by the ICO”. Here to read more.
