Google says ready to delete personal data collected by Street View Cars

Google will no more use its Street View Cars technology to collect information and said on Sunday it is ready to delete all personal data collected by Street View cars.

Google had featured this technology in Google Maps and Google Earth in 2007 to provide panoramic views from various positions along many streets in the world.

Google Street View takes images by specially adopted cars which can access pedestrian areas, narrow streets, alleys and ski resorts. In 2008, Street View was added to the Maps application installed on the Apple iPhone.

Recently, Google was accused of collecting data, including e-mails, passwords and website addresses, during the creation of its Street View maps.

According to Christopher Graham, British Information Commissioner, Google will also introduce improved training measures on security awareness and data protection issues for all its employees worldwide, a report in the Daily Mail said.

I am very pleased to have a firm commitment from Google to work with my office to improve its handling of personal information. It is a significant achievement to have an undertaking from a major multinational corporation like Google Inc that extends to its global policies and not just its UK activities,” said Graham.

Alan Eustace, Google's senior vice president, signed an undertaking to put in place improved training measures on security awareness and data protection issues for all employees.

Google also requires its engineers to maintain a privacy design document for every new project before it is launched and the personal data collected in Britain will be deleted.