Germany and Google, a Collision Course
May 20, 2010
Somewhere in the Arnold family tree was a German person. I recall some pretty rigid guidelines painted for me. Lawyers call these “bright, white lines.” Google’s Math Club approach sees some “bright white lines” as general indicators. My German relatives probably saw “bright, white lines” as indicators of exactly what one should and should not do.
What happens when the view of “bright, white lines” differ? I have one possible answer, which I found in “Google Faces Criminal Probe in Hamburg on Wi-Fi Data”. This is a serious matter and not one where levity will do much to add some buoyancy to subsequent discussions. The key passage in the write up is easy to spot in my print out. I put a big yellow circle around:
The Hamburg Prosecutors’ Office is investigating people at the company on suspicion of criminal data capture, prosecutor spokesman Wilhelm Moellers said in an interview today. The office acted after receiving a complaint from a citizen, he said. No suspects have been named.
Gee. I wonder which company will be the employer of the suspects or a suspect. In the US, a company is considered almost a “person”. What’s good for the goose might be good for the gander.
Why’s this a big deal?
First, the Germany government is looking for a story that will ameliorate the angry buzz about the Greece bail out and Germany’s role in that deal. What better political issue to use that Google, privacy, and a “criminal data capture”? Incendiary is gentle a word to describe the feelings this positioning could engender. The number one brand in the world is a political opportunity that will probably be seized by a number of constituencies.
Second, there is talk that when the authorities took a close look at the vehicle involved in the alleged incident, it was empty. Yikes. Stuff there and then stuff not there. Someone told me today that the gizmos were shipped back to Mountain View. You don’t have to be a 15 year veteran of the police to give this situation, if it is true, some additional attention. Cute behavior? Probably not. Unfortunate indeed if the police were not able to inspect any gear germane to the investigation. No. Really unfortunate.
Third, Google is already in the spotlight in Europe. Piling on was fun in grade school and it is fun when the school kids grow up, become lawyers, and act with the force of law. Google has managed to become in the span of six months a company that looks little like the fun loving crowd from the 1998 roll out era.
The situation is no laughing matter in my opinion. Countries are not user groups. Countries are not stupid. Countries are not without means to make life really unpleasant for entities that threaten its perceived mores. A country is involved, and Germany has often found “bright, white lines” helpful in guiding its actions. The fun and festivities at Google I/O won’t help the Germans get over this privacy thing. In fact, the specter of broader Google data actions are likely to exacerbate the situation.
My hunch is that Google’s new Prediction API will not amuse the German authorities.
Stephen E Arnold, May 20, 2010
Freebie.
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