Google Misled Consumers About Data Collection, Says Australian Watchdog
A setting to control web and application activity, when turned on, also enabled Google to collect, store, and use the data. By Reuters | Updated: 17 April 2021 10:22 IST
Leaving the Web & App Activity setting on allowed Google to continue to collect data
Highlights
The case revolves around web & app activity setting on devices
Google spokesman said the company was reviewing its options
Australia s federal court found Alphabet s Google misled some consumers about personal location data collected through Android mobile devices, the country s competition regulator said on Friday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it is seeking declarations and penalties from Google, though it did not specify an amount.
Google Found Guilty of Misleading Australian Customers on Data Collection
The Australian Federal Court has found Google guilty of misleading customers about personal location data collection on android mobile devices in a world-first enforcement action by the country’s consumer watchdog.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been pursuing legal action against Google’s “misleading conduct” since Oct. 2019.
“This is an important victory for consumers, especially anyone concerned about their privacy online, as the Court’s decision sends a strong message to Google and others that big businesses must not mislead their customers,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
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Australia’s federal court found Alphabet Inc’s Google misled some consumers about personal location data collected through Android mobile devices, the country’s competition regulator said on Friday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it is seeking declarations and penalties from Google, though it did not specify an amount.
“This is an important victory for consumers, especially anyone concerned about their privacy online, as the Court’s decision sends a strong message to Google and others that big businesses must not mislead their customers,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said in a statement.
iTWire Friday, 16 April 2021 14:44 Federal Court rules Google misled Android users about location data
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The Federal Court has found that Google LLC and Google Australia Pty Ltd misled consumers about personal location data collected through Android mobile devices between January 2017 and December 2018.
The action was brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which says it was the first of its kind in the world. This is an important victory for consumers, especially anyone concerned about their privacy online, as the Court s decision sends a strong message to Google and others that big businesses must not mislead their customers, said ACCC Chair Rod Sims.
News Corp. Strikes Payments Deal With Facebook in Australia
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Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. says it has reached a three-year agreement with Facebook under which the publisher will provide news and information to the social media giant’s Facebook News product.
The move follows Australia’s recent historic move to approve a law that would force social media and tech giants to pay publishers for news on independently set terms unless they can agree their own deals directly.
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Facebook strongly resisted the legislation and, for a little over a week, prevented Australian netizens from sharing news on its platform. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Facebook had unfriended the country. Facebook ceased hostilities after last minute negotiations between Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Australia’s finance minister Josh Frydenberg introduced a higher degree of flexibility into the legislation.