27.03.2025 12:19:00
Дата публикации
A U.S. federal court has refused to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of illegally collecting user data. The tech giant now faces legal proceedings that could result in significant financial losses.
The lawsuit concerns the Web & App Activity (WAA) feature, which supposedly allows users to disable data collection about their online activity. However, plaintiffs argue that Google continued tracking data despite this option being turned off and even shared the information with third parties, including app developers.
Judge Richard Seeborg ruled that Google misled users by creating the illusion of control over their data.
The Google Analytics for Firebase (GA4F) system automatically sent user interaction data related to ads, even when WAA was disabled, providing analytics for targeted advertising.
The court acknowledged that Google's actions might violate California's consumer privacy and protection laws (CCPA), as the collected information has commercial value.
Google denies the allegations, stating that WAA-off data was not used for ad personalization. However, the plaintiffs insist that the company linked the collected information to users’ advertising identifiers. A separate issue is whether "pseudonymous" data can be considered personal information.
The judge noted that Google's vague wording regarding WAA's functionality could have misled users. This casts doubt on the argument that users gave informed consent for their data processing.
Google maintains that its policies are transparent and that the lawsuit deliberately distorts how its services operate. However, the court acknowledged that users may not have realized what data was still being collected about them.
This case could set a precedent for regulating user data collection. In 2023, Google had already agreed to delete records of private browsing in Chrome following a separate lawsuit.
(This translation was generated automatically.)
The lawsuit concerns the Web & App Activity (WAA) feature, which supposedly allows users to disable data collection about their online activity. However, plaintiffs argue that Google continued tracking data despite this option being turned off and even shared the information with third parties, including app developers.
Judge Richard Seeborg ruled that Google misled users by creating the illusion of control over their data.
The Google Analytics for Firebase (GA4F) system automatically sent user interaction data related to ads, even when WAA was disabled, providing analytics for targeted advertising.
The court acknowledged that Google's actions might violate California's consumer privacy and protection laws (CCPA), as the collected information has commercial value.
Google denies the allegations, stating that WAA-off data was not used for ad personalization. However, the plaintiffs insist that the company linked the collected information to users’ advertising identifiers. A separate issue is whether "pseudonymous" data can be considered personal information.
The judge noted that Google's vague wording regarding WAA's functionality could have misled users. This casts doubt on the argument that users gave informed consent for their data processing.
Google maintains that its policies are transparent and that the lawsuit deliberately distorts how its services operate. However, the court acknowledged that users may not have realized what data was still being collected about them.
This case could set a precedent for regulating user data collection. In 2023, Google had already agreed to delete records of private browsing in Chrome following a separate lawsuit.
The court hearing is scheduled for August 2025, and if Google loses, it could face record fines and compensation payouts to the plaintiffs.
(This translation was generated automatically.)
