Google has agreed to pay $93 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of California over the company’s location tracking practices. The settlement resolves allegations that Google violated California consumer protection laws by misleading users about how their location data was collected and used.
The lawsuit, filed in 2020 by the California Department of Justice, accused Google of continuing to track users’ location data even when they had turned off a setting called “Location History.” The department argued that Google confused its users by having several settings related to location tracking spread across its services.
In addition, the lawsuit alleged that Google did not adequately disclose to users that their location data was being used for advertising purposes, even with the location history setting disabled.
Under the settlement, Google does not have to admit any wrongdoing. However, the company has agreed to be more transparent with its users about how location data is collected and used. Google says it will provide more detailed information about the various location settings, make it easier to turn off location tracking, and display clearer disclaimers about location data being used for ads.
This is not the first time Google has faced lawsuits over its location tracking practices. In 2021, the company paid $391.5 million to settle similar allegations from 40 state attorneys general.
The California settlement represents the latest push for Google and other tech companies to be more upfront with users about how personal data is monetized. While Google maintains its practices were clearly disclosed, the sizable settlement indicates increased scrutiny around digital privacy. Users are encouraged to review their settings to understand how their location data may be used.
