An Australian federal court has found that Google misled Australian users about how it collects personal location data from Android devices.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had brought a lawsuit against Google over this issue a year and a half ago.
Learn more: ACCC: Google misled users about location data collection
On Friday, Judge Thomas Thawley announced that Google, between January 2017 and December 2018, misrepresented the “location history” setting as the only Google Account setting related to Google’s collection, retention, and use of location data.
Thawley said Google failed to disclose (from March 9, 2017, to November 29, 2018) to Australian users that there was another setting, “Web and app activity, that also allowed Google to collect, store, and use personal locationwhen enabled. Note that this setting is enabled on Android devices by default.
“This is a significant victory for consumers, especially those concerned about their online privacy, as the court’s decision sends a strong message to Google and others that big businesses should not mislead their customers,” said ACCC chairman Rod Sims, adding that digital platforms must inform users about how they use their data.
See also: Chrome: How to find out if Google FLoC is tracking you
The punishment for Google's misleading behavior has not yet been finalized. Thawley ordered that the penalties be finalized within the next fortnight.
Google said it is currently considering its options, including a possible appeal.
“The court dismissed many of the ACCC’s claims. We disagree with the remaining findings and are currently considering our options, including a potential appeal. We provide strong controls for location data and are always looking to do more – for example, we recently added auto-delete options for Location History, making it even easier to control your data,” a Google spokesperson said.
See also: DuckDuckGo, Brave and Vivaldi block Google's FLoC
On the other hand, Rod Sims said: “In addition to the penalties, we are asking Google to publish a notice to Australian consumers to better explain location data settings. This will ensure that consumers are aware and can decide whether certain Google settings that collect location data should be enabled.”
According to the ACCC, companies that collect information must explain clearly and transparently what they are doing so that consumers know what is happening with their data.
Source: ZDNet
