Three US states, DC sue Google over location-tracking

“Google falsely led customers to imagine that altering their account and machine settings would permit prospects to guard their privateness and management what private information the corporate might entry,” Washington, D.C., Legal professional Normal Karl Racine’s workplace stated in an announcement.

But Google “continues to systematically surveil prospects and revenue from buyer information,” the assertion stated, calling the apply “a transparent violation of customers’ privateness.”

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda stated the “attorneys normal are bringing a case based mostly on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions about our settings. We’ve got all the time constructed privateness options into our merchandise and offered strong controls for location information. We’ll vigorously defend ourselves and set the report straight.”

Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton alleged Google misled customers by persevering with to trace their location even when customers sought to stop it.

Google has a “Location Historical past” setting and informs customers in the event that they flip it off “the locations you go are not saved,” Texas stated.

Uncover the tales of your curiosity

Google “continues to trace customers’ location by way of different settings and strategies that it fails to adequately disclose,” Texas stated.

Washington state Legal professional Normal Bob Ferguson stated in 2020, Google made practically $150 billion from promoting. “Location information is vital to Google’s promoting enterprise. Consequently, it has a monetary incentive to dissuade customers from withholding entry to that information,” Ferguson’s workplace stated in an announcement Monday.

In Could 2020, Arizona filed the same lawsuit towards Google over assortment of person location information. That lawsuit is pending.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stated “the gorgeous allegations on this bipartisan go well with by 4 attorneys normal present, but once more, that tech firms proceed to mislead, deceive, and prioritize earnings over defending person privateness.”

He stated “Congress should urgently meet this second within the privateness disaster by passing a complete legislation that gives the privateness protections that Individuals want and deserve.”