The crux of the complaint revolved around Google’s alleged persistence in collecting consumer data linked to a user’s location, even when the user had opted to disable the “location history” feature. This issue had previously led to lawsuits in both Arizona and Washington, resulting in settlements that found Google guilty of unlawfully tracking consumers.
As part of the settlement, Google not only agreed to pay $93 million but also committed to taking proactive measures to “deter future misconduct.” While this monetary penalty may not significantly dent Google’s substantial financial resources, it holds broader implications given that the tech giant primarily derives its revenue from advertising, with location-based advertising being a pivotal component of its advertising ecosystem.
