Google has agreed to a $93 million settlement in California over allegations that its location-privacy practices violated consumer protection laws. The settlement comes after a multi-year investigation led by the California Department of Justice into Google's misleading privacy settings for users.
The investigation revealed that Google made false claims about its location data collection, leading users to believe that deactivating the "Location History" feature would stop all location data storage. However, the company continued to gather and store location information through other means, even when users had explicitly turned off the setting.
Furthermore, Google falsely assured users that they could opt out of location-based advertising, but in reality, users were still targeted with ads based on their geographic location.
As part of the settlement, Google will be required to make significant changes to its privacy practices. These changes aim to provide greater transparency about the company's data collection methods and give users more control over their personal information.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized the importance of holding Google accountable for its actions and praised the efforts of his Consumer Protection Section in bringing the case to a successful conclusion. This settlement marks a landmark development in the ongoing battle for consumer privacy rights in the digital age.