Google fined more than 5 billion dollars

According to documents in the Northern District Court of California, Google has reached a settlement with 3 law firms representing 50 plaintiffs whose information was used without permission despite using the 'anonymous' option while browsing online.

Under the agreement, Google has agreed to pay more than 5 billion dollars in compensation on the grounds that it kept records of unauthorized data. It was also decided that Google would delete data regarding the internet browsing history of millions of users. 

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

The agreement states, "This is a historic step in requiring dominant technology companies to be honest in their disclosures to users about how they collect and use user data, and how they delete and correct the data they collect." The document further notes, "This settlement ensures real accountability and transparency from the world's largest data collector and marks an important step toward improving and protecting our right to privacy on the internet."

In the lawsuit filed approximately 4 years ago, Google was accused of misleading users about how it tracked the activity of anyone using the anonymous browsing option. The US Department of Justice had filed two separate "antitrust" lawsuits against Google, one in 2020 and the other in 2023, alleging that it pursued monopolistic policies.