Washington, DC – Technology giant Google is nearing a $22.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over privacy issues experienced by users of Apple’s Safari web browser, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The FTC alleges that Google used cookies to track the activities of Safari users and send them targeted advertisements through its DoubleClick ad network. The fine would be the largest ever assessed to a company by the FTC.
Google said the tracking was inadvertent. “The FTC is focused on a 2009 help center page,” the company said in a statement. “We have now changed that page and taken steps to remove the ad cookies.”
This article was also published in Potomac Tech Wire.
Related links:
Wall Street Journal – Google, FTC Near Settlement on Privacy
Reuters – Google to pay $22.5 mln to settle privacy charges – source
Financial Times – FTC nears $22.5m fine against Google
