Google has until Saturday to answer Brazil’s demand to explain about any private wi-fi data allegedly collected while photographing for its Street View maps.  Any delay means a court will fine the big, giant company more than A$46,000 a day.

Google says it has removed the data collection capability from its vehicles, after getting fine by US and European courts for illegally harvesting data through the Street View program.  Earlier this year, Google settled with 38 American states for $7 million for collecting people’s personal data without their permission.  Germany also fined the company more than A$200,000.

Google has photographed streets in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and other major Brazilian cities using those Street View cars, which are equipped with cameras and antennas to take 360-degree photos of streets and houses.  The sight of those cars tooling about led to complaint lodged by the Brazilian Institute of Computer Policy and Rights.

Brazil is sensitive to any possibility of Internet spying, after documents leaked by US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden revealed that America was tapping the mobile phone of President Dilma Rousseff and other officials.  Google denies any link to the US electronic snooping.