{"id":1236670,"date":"2022-01-24T19:08:40","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T00:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1236670"},"modified":"2022-01-24T19:08:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-25T00:08:47","slug":"bipartisan-ags-suing-google-alleging-deceptive-practices-tracking-users-without-consent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bipartisan-ags-suing-google-alleging-deceptive-practices-tracking-users-without-consent\/","title":{"rendered":"Bipartisan AGs Suing Google, Alleging \u2018Deceptive Practices,\u2019 Tracking Users Without Consent"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbipartisan-ags-suing-google-alleging-deceptive-practices-tracking-users-without-consent%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1236670&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A bipartisan group of states\u2019 Attorneys General is suing Google, alleging that the Big Tech giant used deceptive practices to continually track its users\u2019 location.<\/p>\n<p>The Attorneys General of Washington State, Indiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C. have each filed suits in their respective federal courts, alleging that Google violated various consumer protection laws in those states.<\/p>\n<p>The D.C. lawsuit stems from a 2018 report by The Associated Press which found that \u201cmany Google services on Android devices and iPhones store your location data even if you\u2019ve used a privacy setting that says it will prevent Google from doing so.\u201d AP <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/north-america-science-technology-business-ap-top-news-828aefab64d4411bac257a07c1af0ecb\">reported<\/a> at the time that Google Maps users can disable the \u201cLocation History\u201d feature, which records places the user has been. However, \u201c[e]ven with Location History paused, some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking.\u201d The AP further reported:<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-55 Component-p-0-2-46\"><em>For example, Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you merely open its Maps app. Automatic daily weather updates on Android phones pinpoint roughly where you are. And some searches that have nothing to do with location, like \u201cchocolate chip cookies,\u201d or \u201ckids science kits,\u201d pinpoint your precise latitude and longitude \u2014 accurate to the square foot \u2014 and save it to your Google account.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-55 Component-p-0-2-46\"><em>The privacy issue affects some two billion users of devices that run Google\u2019s Android operating software and hundreds of millions of worldwide iPhone users who rely on Google for maps or search.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The D.C. Attorney General\u2019s Office opened an investigation into Google based on the AP report, finding that since as early as 2014, \u201cGoogle has systematically deceived consumers about how their locations are tracked and used and has misled consumers to believe that they can control what information Google collects about them.\u201d Attorney General Ken Racine <a href=\"https:\/\/oag.dc.gov\/release\/ag-racine-leads-bipartisan-coalition-suing-google\">announced<\/a> he was suing Google on Monday for violations of the District\u2019s Consumer Protection Procedures Act, which protects against deceptive trade practices. The suit alleges that Google:<\/p>\n<p>Makes it nearly impossible for users to opt out of having their location tracked, using hidden functions in Google\u2019s apps, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi scans, the user\u2019s IP address, or other means.Deceives users about their ability to protect their privacy through their account settingsMisleads Android device users about their ability to protect their privacy through their device settingsRelying on \u201cdark patterns,\u201d such as repeated nudging, pressure tactics, and deceptive descriptions of features and settings, to undermine users\u2019 choice to disable location tracking<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGoogle falsely led consumers to believe that changing their account and device settings would allow customers to protect their privacy and control what personal data the company could access,\u201d Racine said in a statement. \u201cThe truth is that contrary to Google\u2019s representations it continues to systematically surveil customers and profit from customer data. Google\u2019s bold misrepresentations are a clear violation of consumers\u2019 privacy. I\u2019m proud to lead this bipartisan group of attorneys general that will hold Google accountable for its deception. Through this lawsuit, we will hold Google accountable, and in the process, educate consumers on how their personal data\u2014particularly sensitive data about their physical location\u2014is collected, stored, and monetized. This result of our collective action is that consumers, not Google, will determine how their data is or is not used.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Texas Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasattorneygeneral.gov\/news\/releases\/ag-paxton-sues-google-deceptively-tracking-users-location-without-consent\">Ken Paxton<\/a> announced a similar lawsuit Monday, arguing that Google\u2019s practices violate the state\u2019s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. \u201cGoogle\u2019s founding motto is \u2018Don\u2019t Be Evil.\u2019 And yet it systematically lies to millions of consumers in order to stack billions of dollars into its coffers,\u201d Paxton said. \u201cBig Tech companies like Google continue to erode the American way of life and often break the law to maintain their overwhelming dominant market position\u2026 This is not only an unethical invasion of privacy\u2014it\u2019s against the law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Indiana Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/events.in.gov\/event\/attorney_general_todd_rokita_sues_google_over_deceptive_practices_in_harvesting_hoosiers_location_data?utm_campaign=widget&amp;utm_medium=widget&amp;utm_source=State+of+Indiana\">Todd Rokita<\/a> and Washington State Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atg.wa.gov\/news\/news-releases\/ag-ferguson-files-lawsuit-against-google-secretly-tracking-consumers-location\">Bob Ferguson<\/a> also filed lawsuits Monday. \u201cGoogle has prioritized profits over people,\u201d Rokita said. \u201cIt has prioritized financial earnings over following the law. We Hoosiers are the first to salute business success, but we also expect companies to be honest and obey the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLocation data is deeply personal for consumers,\u201d Ferguson said of his state\u2019s lawsuit. \u201cThis information reveals the most significant details of our lives. Google denied consumers the ability to choose whether Google could track their sensitive location data to make a profit. Google kept tracking individuals\u2019 location data even after consumers told the corporation to stop. This is not only dishonest \u2014 it\u2019s unlawful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\">member<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bipartisan group of states\u2019 Attorneys General is suing Google, alleging that the Big Tech giant used deceptive practices to continually track its users\u2019 location. The Attorneys General of Washington State, Indiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C. have each filed suits in their respective federal courts, alleging that Google violated various consumer protection laws in those &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1236670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1236670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1236670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1236670\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1236670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1236670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1236670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}