Google wants to face single mega-lawsuit over WiFi snafu

Google is attempting to consolidate the growing number of lawsuits against the company as a result of its "accidental" WiFi data collection.

Meanwhile, a privacy group has analyzed an independent analysis of the situation and is now accusing Google of having "criminal intent" with the whole debacle. Google filed a motion in the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation this week, seeking to roll all eight lawsuits (plus any that might pop up in the future) pertaining to the data collection situation into one case. "All of the complaints in the Google Wi-Fi Cases assert claims under the federal Wiretap Act," wrote Google. "All of the complaints make very similar factual allegations, and thus any necessary discovery will be of common facts." Because the cases span different jurisdictions, with some making claims under specific state laws, Google argues in its motion that there's potential for conflicting pretrial rulings, "especially with respect to the proper scope and extent of discovery, class certification and other factual and legal matters."

Google would like a single, monster suit to be filed in the US District Court of Northern District of California—the company's home turf.