Watchdogs Slam Google's 'Deceptive' Privacy Change

In the US, advocacy groups Consumer Watchdog and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), claiming Google broke the law when it changed its privacy policy without notice and consent.

When Google acquired ad serving solution DoubleClick in 2007, it assured users that it would not combine the latter's cookie information with personally identifiable information unless it first gained users' opt-in consent. However, the groups say this assurance was broken last June with the introduction of the new privacy policy, in which Google states that it 'may' combine information from one service with information, including personal information, from other Google services; and that users' activity on other sites and apps may be associated with individual personal information.

The groups describe the change as 'an unfair and deceptive practice', violating Section 5 of the FTC Act. They say the change also violates the terms of the 'Buzz Consent Agreement', which Google signed after it released users' personal information in violation of its own privacy policy, following its launch of social media network Buzz. Under the 2011 agreement, Google is required to get informed consent before sharing users' information with third parties if it changes the way data is shared in a way that is contrary to the privacy promises made when the data was first collected. Consumer Watchdog and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse say that Google violated both obligations with its action in June.

The two organizations have now asked the FTC to recover all advertising revenue earned by Google since the date of the change. John Simpson (pictured), Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project Director, comments: 'Google took affirmative steps to conceal and downplay the significance of this change that eliminated the barrier between the data that Google gathers from cookies that track users' behavior and the personal information that Google holds from its users' accounts. Google induced users to accept the change to its privacy policy by cloaking it in an offer to enable 'new features' that purport to provide 'more control' over users' personal information. Unsuspecting users accepted Google's offer in droves'.

Web sites: www.conumerwatchdog.org and www.privacyrights.org .