Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of NetStumbler

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by nickm12 on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:25AM (#3913139)

Ethical behavior is not a zero-sum game. Yes, people should have secured their sensitive data, but they didn't. It doesn't make it ethical to record it, any more than it would be ethical to go into someone's unlocked house and sit on their couch and watch TV while they're out.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by whackberry on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:41AM (#3913176)

Exactly. We don't go into people's homes not because they have a fence and a shotgun but because we were not invited, that is the whole point.

Most of the arguments here circle around "ah you were a fool to let your data out, so Google was wise and snooped it". WTF kind argument is that? Since when is it ok for a corporation to hire "experts" who go around collecting private data? What is this data for? Why, in the first place, do they have a wifi expert driving around doing that?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by option_greek on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:50AM (#3913202)

I think you are not aware of the context here. The reason they have a wifi expert roaming around is because they are marking free wifi spots as part of streetview.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by whackberry on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:55AM (#3913217)

I am aware of the context.

To mark hotspots you don't need packet sniffing or data capture of any kind. Why is Google capturing packet payload during "wardriving"? Nobody does that. All you do is store the GPS location, plus basic AP identification, period.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by jlawer on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @03:10AM (#3913350)

Sure you do,

How do you know if an open wifi is a corp network that just enforces VPNs to actually do anything?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by jlawer on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @02:55AM (#3913325)

No it isn't a zero-sum game... but this isn't "invading" their network.

If they connected to the AP and ran nmap against my server yes it would be like that... but simply capturing packets that are broadcast into a public space I don't think is reasonable or realistic to expect it is some grave violation of privacy.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by option_greek on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:46AM (#3913192)

It's more like hearing a loud mouthed neighbor say to his wife "It's a secret! don't tell any one.. its very private too... we have won the jackpot"

I don't think I will close my ears at any point.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by whackberry on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @01:51AM (#3913206)

> It's more like hearing a loud mouthed neighbor say to his wife "It's a secret! don't tell any one.. its very private too... we have won the jackpot"

Yeah, if it was only near your home. But if you went around driving and listening to hundreds of "loud neighbors" for a day that'd change from passive listening to being outright creepy.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by true_religion on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @02:21AM (#3913264)

Yeah and if you were driving around taking pictures of peoples homes some might call that creepy---but that's exactly what Google did to create Street View.

I don't think it benefits anyone to argue against the analogy, rather than arguing against the reality in this case.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by whackberry on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @12:44PM (#3915217)

> if you were driving around taking pictures of peoples homes some might call that creepy---but that's exactly what Google did to create Street View.

I do find street view creepy.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Data Engineer in Google Case Is Identified - author of Ne... by michaelcampbell on Tuesday May 01, 2012 @04:15PM (#3916196)

And still not unethical. Why is "near my home" any different from "not near my home"? Or is it the volume/number of loudmouthed neighbors you listened to, from the public street, what you object to?

At what point do you pass the creepy threshold?

[ Parent | on HN ]