Friday, March 29, 2024

Google Pays $22.5 Million to Settle Apple Safari Privacy Charges

Datamation content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

Reuters: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has imposed a $22.5 million fine on Google. The fine will close out an FTC investigation into allegations that Google used tracking cookies to bypass privacy settings on Apple’s Safari browser. That tracking violated the terms of an earlier settlement Google had negotiated with the agency. In the latest case, Google has not apologized or admitted to wrongdoing.

The $22.5 million fine is the largest the FTC has ever levied for violating an order. Still, some observers say it amounts to little more than a slap on the wrist for Google, which reported revenue of $12.21 billion in its most recent quarter. Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson said, “The Commission has allowed Google to buy its way out of trouble for an amount that probably is less than the company spends on lunches for its employees and with no admission it did anything wrong.”

Subscribe to Data Insider

Learn the latest news and best practices about data science, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, data security, and more.

Similar articles

Get the Free Newsletter!

Subscribe to Data Insider for top news, trends & analysis

Latest Articles