U.S. state demands access to Google's Street View data

Attorney general in the U.S. state of Connecticut on Friday issued a legal demand to Google, compelling the company to provide access to data improperly collected by its Street View cars.

Connecticut's attorney general Richard Blumenthal issued the demand in the form of a civil investigative demand, which is equivalent to a subpoena, and Google has until Dec. 17 to respond to the demand.

According to information from Blumenthal's office, Google in 2008 collected data from unsecured Connecticut personal and business wireless computer networks while the company's cars trolled streets in the state, taking photographs for its Street View service.

Google has allowed Canadian and other regulatory authorities to review similar data, but refused to provide Blumenthal's office the same access.

"Reviewing this information is vital because Google's story changed, first claiming only fragments were collected, then acknowledging entire emails," Blumenthal said in a statement.

"We will fight to compel Google to come clean -- granting my office access to improperly collected materials and protecting confidentiality, as the company has done in Canada and elsewhere," the attorney general said.

Source:Xinhua