Google Inc's plan to provide free wireless Internet access throughout the city is raising concerns among privacy advocates worried about the prospect of "Big Brother" monitoring how and where users surf the Web.
The company has proposed to track users' locations and use that data to match them with advertising from neighborhood businesses. Google said it would keep the information for up to 180 days before deleting it.
But privacy advocates are worried the information Google collects on wireless Internet surfers could be used by law enforcement agencies and private litigators to place users under surveillance.
"The greatest concern is that once you have that treasure trove of information, will people start to come looking for it?" Kurt Opsahl, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy watchdog group, told the San Francisco Chronicle in a story published on Saturday.
Google declined to comment on privacy concerns raised by its Wi-Fi plan.
San Francisco announced on Wednesday it had chosen Google, and its partner EarthLink, to build the Wi-Fi network, which would allow anyone in the city to get online without plugging a cable into their computers.
The parties must still reach agreement on a contract, which must be approved by the city's Board of Supervisors before the network can be installed by year's end.
Google plans to provide the free portion of the wireless service, which would be supported by online advertising. EarthLink plans to offer a subscription version with a faster connection.
Despite the privacy concerns, some city residents said they would still gladly use Google's Wi-Fi service.
"As a responsible adult, I know that when I go online, I take a chance," said Scott Peradotto, an art consultant in San Francisco.
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