Attorneys general from Washington, D.C. and three states on Monday sued Google, accusing the tech giant of deceiving consumers about the security of their location data in order to boost its digital advertising profits.
Attorneys general (AGs) from Washington, D.C. and three states on Monday sued Google, accusing the tech giant of deceiving consumers about the security of their location data in order to boost its digital advertising profits.
“Google uses tricks to continuously seek to track a user’s location,” said D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D). “This suit, by four attorneys general, on a bipartisan basis, is an overdue enforcement action against a flagrant violator of privacy and the laws of our states.”
The District of Columbia and Texas have filed lawsuits, and Washington and Indiana are expected to do the same.
The Washington Post reported Monday:
“The lawsuits … allege the company made misleading promises about its users’ ability to protect their privacy through Google account settings, dating to at least 2014. The suits seek to stop Google from engaging in these practices and to fine the company.
“The complaints also allege the company has deployed ‘dark patterns,’ or design tricks that can subtly influence users’ decisions in ways that are advantageous for a business.
Read More: 4 AGs Sue Google for Tracking Users Without Permission
