The Federal Communications Commission has levied the maximum fine of $25,000 after a regulatory probe into Google’s privacy practices.
The FCC conducted an investigation into the companies email, text messages and information provided through the Street View map service. Google has come under increasing scrutiny from regulators over the firms data policies and its past practice of collecting sensitive data from wireless networks.
Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which requested the FCC investigation, said “Google unlawfully intercepted and stored millions of wireless communications from Wi-Fi routers.”