Google has reached a settlement with both the state of California and plaintiffs who accused the tech giant of unlawfully tracking their location and delivering customized advertisements, even when the "Location History" setting was turned off. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that Google misled users by assuring them that disabling Location History would prevent their location from being tracked, while the company continued to monitor user activity for its own commercial gain.
Under the terms of the settlement, Google will pay $93 million to the state of California and provide greater transparency regarding its tracking practices and the utilization of collected data.
Additionally, Google has agreed to pay $62 million to the plaintiffs, with the funds being donated to court-approved non-profit organizations specializing in internet privacy matters, after deducting legal fees.
This settlement stems from a lawsuit filed in 2018 by a group of consumers who alleged that Google violated their privacy rights by collecting and utilizing their location data without obtaining proper consent. The lawsuit contended that Google's settings were confusing and deceptive, leaving users with no practical means to opt out of the company's tracking practices.
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