03.25.09
Lobby Which Google Said Was in Microsoft’s Pocket Wants Google’s Street View Shut Down
Summary: Privacy International (PI) wants to eliminate a Google product, but PI was said to have vested/conflicting interests
WE have already shown one candidate for an anti-Google lobby and elaborated on other entities whom Microsoft encouraged to sue Google. In fact, Wired Magazine wrote about Microsoft’s “plot to kill Google” using ‘politics’ not so long in the past.
A few days ago we discussed EPIC, whose connection to Microsoft was a lot weaker (but it did exist) and EPIC acted against Google, as well. Right now, according to the BBC, Privacy International (PI) is tackling Google and trying to “shut down” Google’s Street Video altogether. In other words, it aims for product elimination.
A formal complaint about Google’s Street View has been sent to the Information Commissioner (ICO).
Drawn up by lobby group Privacy International (PI), it cites more than 200 reports from members of the public identifiable via the service.
This was also covered by IDG and by Jo Tartakoff, who adds:
The fury in the UK over Google’s effort to introduce its Street View feature to Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps continues to escalate. The latest twist: A privacy group has filed a formal complaint with the British Information Commissioner, asking that the service be shut down pending an investigation, because it says more than 200 people could be identified in the street-view images.
This is not the first confrontation as such. Those two companies/entities faced off before when PI went ballistic against Google, which in turn accused Privacy International of being a shill for Microsoft. For details, see the following articles from the end of 2007:
- Google Bad On Privacy? Maybe It’s Privacy International’s Report That Sucks
- Privacy International accuses Google of smear campaign
Maybe there was some substance to Google’s allegation which it did not share in public? For Google to come up with a strong statement of this kind does take courage and requires substantial confidence. To be sure, a strong connection is certainly not evident, but Microsoft staff does exist inside Privacy International and we know what this sometimes means to Google, based on experience. █
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David Gerard said,
March 25, 2009 at 10:02 am
Privacy International could do with a writeup. History, etc. So far I’ve only ever seen them doing press releases and with no names I’ve heard of.
Roy Schestowitz said,
March 25, 2009 at 10:21 am
They like privacy.
Roy Schestowitz said,
March 26, 2009 at 9:04 am
Interesting new article:
Google and Privacy International at war over claims of dirty PR tricks and Microsoft bias