There was a "significant breach" of the Data Protection Act when collecting personal data via Google Street View Cars, the UK's Information Commissioner has declared. But Google will not face a fine or punishment.

Rather, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will instead audit Google's data protection practices.

This move marks a change for the ICO when they originally ruled that Google had not committed any data breach. Google has apologised for the collection of the data, which is said had been done by mistake.

The UK is not the only country to bring this up. Google has been the subject of several data protection agencies around the world following the data collect via its Street View cars.

Google Street View is now available in 23 countries, allowing users to walk through towns and cities using photos taken by their Street View cars. Anyone wishing to have an image removed can request this from Google.

There has been a growing backlash against the service since the start, ensuing with complaints from people that their privacy has been breached.