Rep. Pallone the latest to call for FCC investigation of Google’s ‘spy-fi’ error

A fourth lawmaker is calling on federal regulators to investigate Google after its Street View team accidentally collected users’ personal e-mails and documents.

The latest request comes from Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The congressman requested on Friday that both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) open inquiries into Google’s mishap, stressing that consumers “have the right to know exactly how Google collected their data and what type of data was collected by the company.”

{mosads}Pallone’s calls for a federal investigation arrives despite Google’s best efforts to apologize and remedy its privacy error — referred to now colloquially as “spy-fi.” The search giant announced in a blog post earlier this month that its Street View cars — tasked with mapping neighborhoods while taking note of available wireless Web connections — inadvertently intercepted information transmitted on any unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

Google later said it deleted the personal information and has addressed the technology in question in order to avert future mistakes. But that assurance has hardly quieted critics in Europe or the United States, who are questioning whether any wrongdoing occurred. German officials now seem poised to investigate Google’s privacy breach, while at least three other U.S. lawmakers have called on the federal government to take similar action.

Meanwhile, a growing group of U.S. citizens have launched what they hope will be a class-action lawsuit against the company.

Pallone wants the FCC and FTC specifically to investigate “whether these actions were illegal and if they are considered unfair and deceptive practices.” He urged Google to cooperate with investigators on the “privacy breach,” though he said he expected no problems.

“In order to permit a thorough and detailed investigation, I urge Google to preserve all relevant evidence, including retaining any and all documents, data, e-mail communications and any other materials related to Google’s collection, use and disclosure of consumers’ personal information,” he said. “Knowing their history, I expect Google will fully cooperate in any investigation related to this privacy breach and that Google will take immediate steps to ensure that no evidence is destroyed.”