Majority’s opinion of Google worse after WLAN data scandal
A vast majority of Austrians said they have a worse opinion of Google after it emerged that the company garnered information about wireless LAN internet access when preparing its Street View service.Public opinion agency Oekonsult said today (Mon) 90.3 per cent of the around 1,100 people they interviewed told them their opinion of the American internet firm had worsened after last weeks revelation.With 54.9 per cent, the majority however also said they did not mind Google collecting data about users for creating and developing its free services.Eighty-two per cent agreed with the claim that the main target of social networks like Twitter and Facebook was to garner user information for commercial use.Around 1.5 million of the eight million Austrians are registered Facebook members, with one in two using their accounts on a regular basis.It was reported last month that an increasing number of schools across Austria are banning access to the community portal and similar websites as more and more students become victims of online mobbing.The federal education ministry supports schools initiatives to prevent access to the sites by providing a special software programme.