One sentence summary – Google has reached a $93 million settlement with the state of California over its location-privacy practices, following a previous settlement with 40 states, after an investigation was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story revealing that Google continued to track users’ location data even after they had opted out, with the company now facing certain restrictions and committing to greater transparency to rebuild trust with users and ensure privacy is respected.
At a glance
- Google has agreed to a $93 million settlement with the state of California over its location-privacy practices.
- The investigation into Google’s location tracking was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story.
- Google continued to track users’ location data even after they had opted out of tracking.
- As part of the settlement, Google will face certain restrictions and provide greater transparency about location tracking.
- This settlement is separate from fines imposed on Google and Meta by South Korea and Norway for privacy violations.
The details
Google has agreed to a $93 million settlement with the state of California over its location-privacy practices.
This settlement follows a previous $391.5 million settlement with 40 states in November 2022.
The investigation into Google’s location tracking was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story.
The story revealed that Google continued to track users’ location data even after they had opted out of tracking.
Google’s practice of tracking users’ movements for commercial gain was deemed unacceptable.
Restrictions and Transparency
As part of the settlement, Google will face certain restrictions.
These restrictions include providing greater transparency about location tracking.
They also include disclosing the use of location information for ad personalization.
Google has not admitted any wrongdoing as part of this settlement.
The company claims to have made improvements to its product policies in recent years.
Separate Fines
This settlement is separate from fines that have been imposed on Google and Meta by South Korea and Norway for privacy violations.
The settlement signifies Google’s commitment to addressing concerns related to its location-privacy practices.
By agreeing to greater transparency and restrictions, Google aims to rebuild trust with its users.
The company also aims to ensure that user privacy is respected.
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| securityweek.com |
|---|
| – Google has agreed to a $93 million settlement with the state of California over its location-privacy practices. – |
| This settlement follows a previous $391.5 million settlement with 40 states in November 2022. – |
| The investigation into Google’s location tracking was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story. – |
| The story revealed that Google continued to track people’s location data even after they opted out of tracking. – Google’s practice of tracking users’ movements for its own commercial gain was deemed unacceptable. – |
| The settlement includes restrictions on Google, such as providing more transparency about location tracking and disclosing the use of location information for ad personalization. |
| – Google admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement. – |
| The company claims to have made improvements to its product policies in recent years. |
| – |
| This settlement is separate from fines imposed on Google and Meta by South Korea and Norway for privacy violations. |
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