Google Fined $155 Million for Tracking User Data

Google has agreed to pay $155 million to settle claims from California and private plaintiffs that the search engine company misled users about how it tracked their locations and used their data without their consent. The settlements address claims that the Alphabet subsidiary deceived people into believing they had control over how Google collected and utilized their personal data. The company was accused of being able to "create a profile" of individuals and target them with ads even if they turned off the "Location History" feature, misleading individuals about their ability to block unwanted ads. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, "Google told its users one thing...that it would not track their locations once they opted out...but it was doing the opposite and continued to track users’ movements for commercial profit." He added, "That is unacceptable." The California settlement requires Google to pay $93 million and disclose more information about how it tracks individuals and uses the collected data. The $62 million settlement from Google for private parties, after deducting legal fees, will go to nonprofit groups approved by the court that focus on online privacy concerns.