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    Lawsuit seeks to block Google's privacy changes

    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A consumer watchdog group is suing the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to prevent Google from making sweeping changes to its privacy policies next month.

    The planned revisions would enable Google Inc. to bundle the personal information gathered by its Internet search engine and other services, such as Gmail, YouTube and Plus, so the company can gain a better understanding of its users and potentially sell more advertising. Google has depicted the switch as an improvement that will make its privacy policies easier to understand and help deliver more helpful information to users.

    But the Electronic Privacy Information Center contends Google's new policies would violate restrictions imposed in an agreement reached with the FTC last year. Google submitted to the rules to resolve complaints that the company had improperly exposed users' email contacts in a now-defunct service called Buzz.

    A lawsuit filed Wednesday by EPIC maintains the agreement gives FTC the power to stop Google from making the planned privacy change. The complaint also is seeking an order from a Washington federal court to block Google's policy changes from taking effect March 1.

    European regulators already have asked Google to delay the policy changes

    Among other things, EPIC alleges Google's new privacy guidelines require users' consent. The group also alleges Google hasn't thoroughly explained the motives for the changes, making it an "unfair and deceptive business practice."

    In a statement, Google said it has gone to great lengths to explain the changes to users since announcing the planned switch two weeks ago. The Mountain View, Calif., company previously has said it explained the privacy revisions to the FTC.

    "We take privacy very seriously," Google said. "We're happy to engage in constructive conversations about our updated privacy policy, but EPIC is wrong on the facts and the law."

    FTC spokeswoman Claudia Bourne Farrell said agency "takes compliance with our consent orders very seriously and always looks carefully at any evidence that they are being violated."

     

    23 comments

    • Liberals are cancer  •  3 mths ago
      "We take privacy very seriously," Google said. and we will do eveyrthing we can to invade yours and sell your information for a profit.
    • jerry  •  3 mths ago
      Google's so called changes. are very misleading . I question their motives ($$$$).
    • JustAnotherBrickIntheWall  •  3 mths ago
      I would tell you what I think of all this, but Google is watching.
      • Sars 3 mths ago
        yeah and i'm using google chrome at the moment i posted this comment!
    • j  •  3 mths ago
      Sounds like Google's gettin to big for it's britches!
      There's a ton of other search engines that work just as well And youtube isn't the only video resource out there. They need to wise up or they'll start seeing a drop off in use.. just like facebook!!
    • Oscar  •  Burbank, California  •  3 mths ago
      My personal info and browsing habits should be no one's business. I hope the Feds tell Google to cease and desist.
    • KF  •  3 mths ago
      Google is evil. I hope the suit has some success. One of the problems they won't discuss though is that the Feds really condone it - the FBI or NSA could never get away with what Google does, but since Google does do it than they can just turn around and easily & quietly hit Google with a subpoena or national security letter and the big-G just hands it over with a smile.
    • rokarolla  •  3 mths ago
      10 years ago Google was just a little search function at the top of my Internet Explorer page. Now it wants to be the guardian of all the information there is to know about me. I don't like it. I wish Google would have stayed in it's place. Now it's part of the future blackmail matrix.
    • rr14  •  3 mths ago
      People should be able to opt out.
    • Glen Young  •  3 mths ago
      "We take privacy very seriously," Google said

      Whose privacy :) ?
    • jerry  •  3 mths ago
      Google's privacy changes is a disclamer of trust.They will collect a dossier file on personal data.
    • rjohn  •  Long Beach, California  •  3 mths ago
      Big Brother is alive and well.
    • Knottie  •  3 mths ago
      I've Only Had ONE Google Account EVER , (i.e. "YouTube" ) BEFORE Google Bought It. After Google Bought "Youtube" I STILL Didn't Open My ONE Google Account Until Google No Longer Made Opening A Google Account Optional By Making It Impossible For Me To Sign Into My "Youtube" Account UNLESS I Opened A "Google Account" AFTER Google Made Opening A Google Account A MANDATORY Requirement For My Continued Use Of My "YouTube" Channel, I Relunctantly Opened The MANDATORY Google Account!
    • eaglescout  •  3 mths ago
      What privacy,that is why it pays to be a great liar and then you can have some fun with all these internet spies who think technology is theirs to misuse.
    • Knottie  •  3 mths ago
      If GOOGLE Stopped Making Opening A Google Account MANDATORY Across The Entire Internet In Their OBVIOUS Quest To Buy, Own And CONTROL It, They'd Have Less Data To "Consolidate".
    • nealjking  •  Munich, Germany  •  3 mths ago
      A truly useful article would describe the policy changes in detail, so the readers would know what is being talked about! This article just raises a fuss: But I have no idea of whether it's really significant, or just media buzz. How about something more in-depth?
    • Rushmael  •  3 mths ago
      Google, like Microsoft before it feels it can do what it wants . . . .so I hope the lawsuit wins . .BREAK THIER BALLS WITHOUT MERCY!!!
    • Houston, we have a proble ...  •  3 mths ago
      Google should be Destroyed!!
    • CNC Screwman  •  3 mths ago
      Screw the dam advertising companies if I want a product ill research it or go buy it don’t need the adds popping up and annoying me all the dam time like Face Book does another parasite web site greedy S.O.B! Stop selling are info stop collecting are info!
    • MJS  •  3 mths ago
      I'm sure all the Google haters who commented here will later today check their Gmail, watch some YouTube, do countless web searches, work in Docs, ... never considering how that's all paid for.
    • Karen  •  2 mths ago
      If you have a Google or YouTube account,just Google your user name,and there it is,everything you discussed with others for the whole world to see!No opt. out to the New Google Privacy Policy is even available!So use with care!Big Brother is watching you!
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