At least in the UK, Google may finally be able to put its recent Street View privacy gaffe behind it.  The company’s signed a commitment to improve its handling of data, and as a result, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office has given Google permission to delete the sensitive information it collected by accident.

The last time we heard from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, it had decided Google breached the Data Collection Act, but chosen not to fine the search giant.  This new development is good for Google in the sense it ensures the ICO won’t reopen its inquiry at a later date, either.

The less convenient side of the situation is that some monitoring will occur.  The ICO said in a statement, "The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will conduct a full audit of Google’s internal privacy structure, privacy training programs and its system of privacy reviews for new products.  The audit will take place within nine months of the undertaking being signed."

Google also had to recommit to the stronger privacy controls it outlined in an official blog post late last month.

All in all, though, we’re sure the company will be happy to have this matter stop making headlines, and the ICO seems to have set a more than reasonable deadline for Google to get everything done.

Now Google’s Street View and legal teams just have to hold their breath while regulators in other countries make up their minds about how to proceed.