Google Settles $391.5 Million Multi-State Lawsuit Over Location Privacy Case
By Movieguide® Staff
Google recently settled to the sum of $391.5 million in a lawsuit regarding non-consensual tracking of some users’ locations.
The lawsuit, which involved 40 US states, claimed that Google violated consumer protection law after they continued to track their location after they had turned location tracking off or even logged out of Google accounts.
According to the attorney general, the settlement is the largest for a multi-state privacy case in history.
“For years, Google prioritized profit over the privacy of people who use Google products and services,” Ellen Rosenblum, the Oregon attorney general, said in a statement obtained by the Daily Wire. “Consumers thought they had turned ‘off’ their location tracking features on Google, but the company continued to secretly record their movements and use that information for advertisers.”
Along with the settlement, Google said that they would make “updates in the coming months to provide even greater controls and transparency over location data.”
In addition to pending changes to the companies location services, Google spokesperson José Castañeda said that the lawsuit was founded on old data that has since been changed.
“Consistent with improvements we’ve made in recent years, we have settled this investigation which was based on outdated product policies that we changed years ago,” Castañeda told NPR in a recent interview.
Movieguide® previously reported on the lawsuit:
According to recent lawsuits by Washington, D.C. and other states, Google deceived users by recording their location after turning off the company’s tracking on smartphones and web browsers.
“In reality, regardless of the settings they select, consumers who use Google products have no option but to allow the Company to collect, store, and use their location,” the suit, filed Monday in the District of Columbia’s Superior Court by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, states. “Simply put, even when a user’s mobile device is set to deny Google access to location data, the Company finds a way to continue to ascertain the user’s location.”
The suit alleges that Google tracks customers’ “Location History” through information obtained through search engine history, Maps app, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth services.
Indiana, Texas, and Washington state courts filed similar suits, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Google denied the allegations.
“The attorneys general are bringing a case based on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions about our settings,” Google spokesman José Castañeda said. “We have always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data. We will vigorously defend ourselves and set the record straight.”
The Washington D.C. lawsuit highlights internal documents and employee testimonials to back up their claims.
As consumer privacy and big tech overreach continue to rise as hot-button issues, Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, said that lawsuits are “going to help further motivate regulators at the [Federal Trade Commission] to rein in these kinds of practices that are growing stronger.”
However, the road ahead is difficult for legislators looking to hold big tech accountable and protect the privacy and safety of users on the federal level.
“Without a comprehensive national data protection law, the courts have made it hard to advance claims like this when companies can point to privacy policy disclosures,” Jules Polonetsky, chief executive officer of the Future of Privacy Forum, said.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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