The resolution addresses allegations that Google had deceived individuals by creating a false perception that they had control over how their personal data was gathered and utilized by the search and advertising giant.
Google has agreed to pay Washington state a sum of $39.9 million in order to settle a lawsuit that accused the company, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., of providing misleading information to consumers regarding its practices related to tracking their locations. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the settlement on Thursday.
The resolution addresses allegations that Google had deceived individuals by creating a false perception that they had control over how their personal data was gathered and utilized by the search and advertising giant.
According to the state, Google was able to gather and profit from users’ data, even if they had disabled tracking technology on their smartphones and computers, thereby infringing on consumers’ privacy.
As part of a consent decree filed on Wednesday in King County Superior Court, Google is obligated to enhance transparency regarding its tracking practices and establish a more comprehensive webpage called “Location Technologies” that provides detailed information about these practices.
“Today’s resolution holds one of the most powerful corporations accountable for its unethical and unlawful tactics,” Ferguson said in a statement.
Google, headquartered in Mountain View, California, maintained its denial of any wrongdoing while agreeing to reach a settlement. Previously, in November, Google had agreed to pay $391.5 million to settle comparable accusations made by 40 states within the United States.
Several states, including Washington, decided to individually file lawsuits against Google regarding its tracking practices, while Arizona successfully reached a settlement of $85 million with the company in October of the previous year as part of a similar case.
Regarding the settlement in Washington, Google referred to its previous statement about the multi-state agreement, emphasizing that it had already addressed concerns raised by regulators. The company specifically mentioned updating outdated product policies that had been modified years ago.