Connect with us

Breaking News

Arizona Sues Google Again Over Data Collection Breaches

Published

on

A hand with a magnet collects personal data passwords from crowd people. Theft of databases. Collection personal information | Arizona Sues Google Again Over Data Collection Breaches | Featured

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich accused tech titan Google of unauthorized data collection. He alleged that Google allegedly tracked user location via third-party apps. This occurs even when WiFi-connected devices have location services switched off. 

RELATED: Smartphone Apps May Help with Coronavirus Tracing, But May Cause Privacy Concerns

Google Employees Share Concerns

According to a report by the AZ Mirror, employees of Google shared their concerns. They felt that eventually, media outlets such as the New York Times will discover the truth.

According to a Google employee as quoted in a previously redacted section. “So there is no way to give a third-party app your location and not Google? This doesn’t sound like something we would want on the front page of the NYT.”

The Arizona media outlet explained that the current complaint against Google is part of an ongoing consumer fraud lawsuit Brnovich first filed in May 2020.

The lawsuit alleges that Google’s data collection schemes violated the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. In addition, Google requested the court to remove large portions of the lawsuit. Brnovich then led a legal battle versus Google on what information can be made public.

Associated Press Article

The Arizona lawsuit over Google’s data collection practices started when Brnovich came into an Associated Press article in 2018. The article, titled “Google tracks your movements, like it or not,” piqued the Attorney General enough into starting an investigation.   

“Google wants to know where you go so badly that it records your movements even when you explicitly tell it not to,” the article reported. “An Associated Press investigation found that many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store your location data even if you’ve used a privacy setting that says it will prevent Google from doing so.”

Google’s Data Collection Practices Are ‘Shocking Stuff’

“The reality is that the stuff we’ve uncovered is shocking,” Brnovich said. “It just confirms that Google is doing everything it can to spy on everyone it can, without providing any sort of notice to anyone.

We allege when consumers try to opt-out of Google collecting location data, the company is continuing to find misleading ways to obtain that information and then use it for their financial advantage,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Google spokesperson José Castañeda accused both Arizona’s Attorney General and Google’s competitors of “mischaracterizing” the company and its services.

“The Attorney General and our competitors driving this lawsuit have gone out of their way to mischaracterize our services. We have always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data. We look forward to setting the record straight,” he explained. 

Location Off Should Mean Location Off

According to the formerly-redacted documents, another Google employee gave an opinion that Google might have gone too far. “I agree with the article.

Location off should mean location off, not except for this case or that case,” the unidentified employee said. “Real people just think in terms of ‘location is on,’ ‘location is off because that is exactly what you have on the front screen of your phone,” another anonymous employee added.

Brnovich thinks Google has a lot of explaining to do. “What we’ve uncovered so far, I believe, shows that Google themselves understand and appreciate that what they are doing is something that is sneaky and something that would piss off consumers if they knew about it.

So the fact they are trying to hide what they are doing, they are being sneaky about it, and using every trick in the arsenal to stop this from seeing the light of day is all consumers need to know about Google’s intentions,” he said.

Watch Louis Rossman’s video reporting that tech giant Google is in hot water with the Arizona Attorney General over privacy concerns:

What do you think about Google and its data collection practices?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Do you agree that Google’s data collection services are illegally tracking your data? Do you see any solution outside of not using its services?

Let us know what you think about Google. Share your comments below.

Continue Reading
8 Comments

8 Comments

  • frank says:

    they suck i keep clicking no but they still know my shit i am not going to use there sites i disabled many of there sites

  • Mark Hiatt says:

    If you have a smartphone, they know where you’re at. They are all criminals

  • David says:

    It doesn’t matter, our government is corrupt, as well as our judges. Even the “pretend conservative” judges. Nothing will happen. Get a go phone/flip phone, and stop using all of the antisocial “social media” apps!

  • Sam says:

    Most citizens of the USA are not old enough to remember the GOLD SIX POINTED GOLD STAR used by Nazis to identify their target. The general media as well as Google and “others” are spying on us at all turns. Mass graves came with the SIX POINTED GOLD STAR. READ YOUR HISTORY – IF YOU CAN FIND IT!!!

  • Anonymous says:

    I have a hard time trusting you!!! I wonder why!!!

  • sherril henderson says:

    Pass some laws to keep them from their spying on us and make the penalties so harsh they will have to stop.

  • Fred says:

    Why do you think the Government wanted SNODEN’S head on a platter for ?
    He was blowing the whistle about how the Government was collecting this information by SPYING on everyone through the use of their CELL phones and these internet sites. They have been monitoring us for many years now. How do you think they KNEW exactly how many fake votes were needed to defeat Trump ?

  • Shelley Baker says:

    Google is sneaky, spying on us, etc. All with the corrupt government we have in the White House now. They didn’t win the election, they lied, cheated and threatened whistle blowers. If we don’t stop all this, we will become Socialists, then Communists. But dumb lazy people see it as “Free Stuff” they get. (What free stuff? Like tenants in NJ who don’t have to pay rent now matter what? Landlords are stuck with freeloaders until their lease expires). Those who own a house or duplex to rent out have to keep paying their mortgage. What the hell is that? Biden supporters don’t brag or even comment on what he’s done. But I would get yelled at, hassled and my car window broken that had a TRUMP sticker. God Help Us. Just look at Venezuela. And the silent war involving China, who never plays fair. “FAIR” a democratic word the use when it favors them.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Copyright © 2022 Breaking News Alerts. This copyrighted material may not be republished without express permission. The information presented here is for general educational purposes only. MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that this website has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the persons or businesses mentioned in or linked to from this page and may receive commissions from purchases you make on subsequent web sites. You should not rely solely on information contained in this email to evaluate the product or service being endorsed. Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. This website contains advertisements.