Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

<i>FTC v. Google</i>: Lessons Learned

By Francoise Gilbert
August 30, 2012

Twice in less than 12 months, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
has investigated Google Inc.'s personal data-handling practices to compare them with Google's representations made on its website privacy policy and other documents. And twice in less than 12 months, the FTC has determined that Google's practices constituted misrepresentation. This second time, however, the price tag associated with the ruling at the completion of this investigation ' as set forth in the Proposed Consent Order with Google published on Aug. 9 (Google 2; http://bit.ly/RzlJxk) ' is a record $22.5 million civil penalty.

In this second enforcement action, the FTC charged that Google misrepresented to users of Apple Safari's browser that it would not place tracking cookies on their browser, or serve targeted ads. In the prior enforcement action, which resulted in a settlement dated October 2011 (Google 1; http://bit.ly/Rzm1o3), the FTC charged that Google used deceptive tactics and violated its own privacy promises to consumers when it launched the Buzz social network in 2010.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Judge Rules Shaquille O'Neal Will Face Securities Lawsuit for Promotion, Sale of NFTs Image

A federal district court in Miami, FL, has ruled that former National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal will have to face a lawsuit over his promotion of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency tokens and that he was a "seller" of these unregistered securities.

Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners Image

Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.

Supreme Court Rules Rejection of Trademark License Does Not Rescind Rights of Licensee Image

Mission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC The question is whether a debtor's rejection of its agreement granting a license "terminates rights of the licensee that would survive the licensor's breach under applicable nonbankruptcy law."