Google 'revealed location of centre for vulnerable women'
Google failed to consider the safety of vulnerable women when it revealed the location of a secret refuge centre for at-risk women, an MP has claimed.
By Nick Collins
Published: 12:10PM BST 29 Oct 2010
He accused the search engine of a "staggering" invasion of privacy of the organisation, which houses women and children who have fled abusive homes and therefore depend on the building's "anonymity".
Mark Lancaster, a Conservative MP, claimed Google had not only compromised the security of the building by publicising its full address alongside a picture of the exterior, but had also refused to respond to requests to remove the information.
His comments came in a House of Commons debate on internet privacy initiated by Robert Halfon, a fellow Tory MP, in which Google was also attacked for its Street View service, which catalogues photographs of millions of homes across the country. Mr Lancaster said "[The refuge's] anonymity is crucial to the organisation" and to the wellbeing of the women and children housed inside.
He added: "Only once women have called the emergency number and a pickup point has been agreed do they find out where the hostel is. "Imagine their great concern when, on entering the name of the organisation in Google, they see a picture of the building the refuge uses and its address appears on the search engine". Mr Lancaster added that the refuge had requested that Google remove the information, but received no response.
He said: "It is staggering that the privacy of an organisation whose purpose it is to protect others is allowed be invaded in that way." Google's motives for introducing its Street View service were also questioned in light of reports earlier this year that residents' email addresses and passwords were collected from unsecured wireless networks by passing Google vehicles as they captured pictures of streets across the country.
Mr Halfon said: "I find it hard to believe that a company with the creative genius and originality of Google could map the personal Wi-Fi details, computer passwords and email addresses of millions of people across the world and not know what it was doing. "My feeling is that the data were of use to Google for commercial purposes and that that is why it was done."
Despite an inquiry by the Information Commissioner finding Google not guilty of any wrongdoing, Mr Halfon said the watchdog had done so because it had limited powers. Ed Vaizey, the Communications Minister, is to consider forming a mediation panel with Google and other internet service providers, the Daily Mail reported.
A Google spokesperson said: "The company has contacted Mr Lancaster this morning to urgently try to find out the details of the case he raised. "Anyone can request an image for removal from Street View using our simple 'report a problem'. When they do we remove the image quickly. We have removed sensitive locations in the past and are happy to do so."
