Google sues – allegedly tricking users about location data
Three states in the United States want to bring the search giant to justice. In the lawsuit, Google is accused of continuing to collect location data – even when users turn off the feature.
Google knows where you’re been – and uses that information, among other things, to tailor which ads to show based on your approximate location.
Google is drawn to the counter
Prosecutors from the states of Texas, Washington, Indiana and the District of Columbia in the United States now have filed lawsuits against Google, where the search giant is accused of “misleading” collection of users’ site history.
According to the lawsuits, Google has built a system that continues to collect information about how mobile users move – even when users have actively chosen to turn off the location history feature.
“The truth is that, contrary to what is stated, Google continues to monitor its customers systematically, as well as profit from user data,” said Washington D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine in a statement, adding that it has reviewed Google since the AP: s revelation about how the search giant handles location data.
Collects data on all devices
Location history at Google is not turned on automatically, but when users open, for example, Google Maps for the first time, the question is asked whether they want to activate the collection.
What can be difficult to understand is that a “yes” means that Site History is started for the entire logged in Google account – as well as all mobiles or tablets that are connected to it.
Karl Racine and the other state prosecutors claim that Google deliberately uses a deceptive interface design – a method called “dark patterns” – to make it more difficult for users to protect their data.
Search giant: “Gives users control”
Google, for its part, denies the allegations, stating that state prosecutors base their allegations on “outdated allegations” about how location data is collected.
The search giant also says that it has made it easier for users to find and adjust the settings for location data in their accounts.
“We have always built privacy protection functions into our products, and give users control over, for example, their location data”, writes a representative from Google to the site Cnet.
How to turn off location history
Do you want to stop Google from tracking your location? In this guide, New Technology’s Simon Campanello explains how to prevent the search giant’s mapping by turning off site services.
