Google Glass faces hailstorm of privacy questions from U.S. government

It seems privacy issues related to Google Glass are drawing government attention. A committee in the U.S. Congressional Privacy Caucus sent a letter to Google chief executive Larry Page asking just how the company plans to protect both people wearing the device and the people it records.

The group was particularly interested in the idea that Google Glass can use facial recognition to deliver a wearer information about the people nearby. Mostly, the caucus wanted to know if this facial recognition can be turned off or opted out of by a specific person.

The committee also brought up Google’s past with privacy issues, including the recently settled case where Google collected data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks as a part of its Street View project. Google agreed to pay a $7 million fine as a result of that lawsuit, though it has obviously left the U.S. government wary of Google’s privacy protections.

The letter was signed by eight of the Privacy Caucus’ members, and was led by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX).

As All Things D notes, Google Glass product director Steve Lee explained that privacy and “social implications … of Glass, of people wearing Glass, has been at the top of our mind.” He went on to explain that Google will likely not deviate from the current privacy policy it has set up — another concern of the Privacy Caucus.

Letter to Google from Congress privacy group regarding Google Glass privacy

via All Things D; Google Glass image via Jolie O’Dell/VentureBeat