Privacy issues with Facebook were trumped by Google’s own privacy problems today with their announcement that their Street View cars have been “mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password-protected) WiFi networks” since 2006.

Google’s slogan, “don’t be evil,” should be amended. How about, “don’t be evil, and if you’re caught being evil, claim it was all a mistake that stretched over a period of 4 years and please forgive us?”

In an official blog post, Google admits the Street View cars that have crossed Dallas and the world, were collecting unencrypted user data, the SSID and MAC addresses.

The cars collect data for Google’s Street View used by Google Maps and Google Earth, providing views of streets, structures and more. The tool is extremely valuable for Dallas businesses, marketers and advertisers when combined with the latest features added to the service. Recently Google added links to local business listings in Street View. Simply by navigating around in Street View, the names of the businesses, the phone number, ratings and more pop-up in a window on top of the building itself.

More than likely the cars were unable to collect enough information to seriously compromise privacy, but it is a concern nevertheless. Further, the fact that it took Google four years to discover the issue is also a concern. That said, the advantages of Google Street View for businesses, marketers, advertisers and consumers overshadow the privacy concerns if one examines the issue completely. Unfortunately for Google, the news becomes known at a time when the world is in an uproar over online privacy concerns.

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