Skip to main content

Google faces legal trouble over Android data collection

The Washington D.C. Attorney General is suing Google over its supposedly deceptive location permissions policies. The lawsuit, partially instigated by a 2018 Associated Press story, claims that Google is financially motivated to collect location data from Android users to bolster its advertising business and has actively obfuscated ways of hiding your location data through confusing settings and language.

“Since at least 2014, Google has deceived consumers regarding how their location is tracked and used by the Company and consumers’ ability to protect their privacy by stopping this tracking. Google leads consumers to believe that consumers are in control of whether Google collects and retains information about their location and how that information is used. In reality, consumers who use Google products cannot prevent Google from collecting, storing, and profiting from their location,” the lawsuit alleged.

Related Videos

While Google has recently started offering users ways to curtail how much data you upload to their servers and even offers auto-deletion of data if a user selects so, the District says this isn’t enough and is instead optimized to be just confusing enough that it keeps users uploading data in one form or the other.

“The District’s investigation revealed that Google also offers other settings that purport to give consumers control over the location data Google collects and uses. But Google’s misleading, ambiguous, and incomplete descriptions of these settings all but guarantee that consumers will not understand when their location is collected and retained by Google or for what purposes. And, in reality, regardless of the settings they select, consumers who use Google products have no option but to allow the Company to collect, store, and use their location,” the suit alleges.

In a statement shared with The Verge, Google policy spokesperson José Castañeda said, “The attorneys general are bringing a case based on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions about our settings. We have always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data.”

Editors' Recommendations

Google Pixel 7a: news, release date and price rumors, and more
Leaked render of the Google Pixel 7a.

Google's Pixel family of smartphones has made a notable impact on the Android smartphone world, but not in the way we saw coming a few years back. Flagship Pixel smartphones are great, but where the Pixel really shines is in the budget space. In 2023, the next phase of the affordable Pixel will take the shape of the Google Pixel 7a.

The Pixel 7a will have pretty big shoes to fill, as 2022's Pixel 6a remains one of the best smartphone deals, delivering an excellent camera and software experience at a killer price. The Pixel 5a before it was also a highlight, especially when it came to battery life. Where will Google go next for the Pixel 7a? Here's a roundup of all the latest rumors and news you need to know.
Google Pixel 7a: design
Pixel 7a render OnLeaks / SmartPrix

Read more
When is my phone getting Android 14? Here’s everything we know
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra next to the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

Google has released the second developer preview for Android 14, its upcoming smartphone software for Google Pixel devices. This should be the last developer preview before Android 14 moves on to the open beta stage of testing, then a planned public release later in 2023.

With Android 14, there are some priority changes in app behaviors and compatibility instead of just new features and other enhancements. There are also going to be improvements made to settings for privacy, security, and even system health. In short, Android 14 may not be packed with a ton of brand-spanking-new features, but it will refine and streamline what is already there.

Read more
Google Pixel Tablet: news, release date and price rumors, and more
The Google Pixel Table and the Speaker Dock.

After years of speculation, Google finally revealed the Pixel Tablet at its annual I/O conference in May 2022. Google was pretty vague at the reveal and has remained tight-lipped when it comes to giving official details about the upcoming tablet.

Luckily, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors about the Pixel Tablet that help paint a picture of what fans can expect when it finally launches later this year. Here's everything we know about the Google Pixel Tablet.
Google Pixel Tablet: design

Read more