Google destroys illegally collected info in New Zealand

Google has destroyed all the information it illegally obtained from unsecured wifi while operating specially equipped cars for its Street View service in New Zealand in 2008 and 2009

Google has destroyed all the information it illegally obtained from unsecured wifi while operating specially equipped cars for its Street View service in New Zealand in 2008 and 2009.

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The country's Privacy Commission first ordered Google to destroy the information in late 2010, after it learnt that Google had breached New Zealand's privacy law.

Google and an independent third party told the commission was told by that all the information was destroyed.

But commissioner Marie Shroff learnt in October this year that that was not the case, Stuff.co.nz reports.

Google had discovered one disk that may have contained information it collected in either New Zealand or Australia , Shroff was told.

According to the report, the Internet firm was once again ordered to destroy the disk and the commissioner was informed yesterday that it had.

"We're pleased to see the certificate from an independent agency verifying the irretrievable destruction of the New Zealand data," the report quoted Shroff, as saying.