It shouldn’t come as a surprise that everyone from Google to Apple are tracking you, with mobile apps in particular being a large contributor to tracking activity currently taking place. Some people don’t like that, as Google parent company Alphabet has found after being hit with its second lawsuit concerning smartphone tracking.
“Allegedly”
The lawsuit, filed in the States on behalf of a small collection of individuals by law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, claims that Google’s apps continue tracking users, even when said users have taken the steps Google says will prevent tracking.
Specifically, the complaint says, “Even when consumers follow Google’s own instructions and turn off ‘Web & App Activity’ tracking on their ‘Privacy Controls,’ Google nevertheless continues to intercept consumers’ app usage and app browsing communications and personal information.”
The suit claims that Google’s Firebase, an analytics, advertising and crash-reporting offering for app developers, is the claim culprit when it comes to unpermitted tracking.
The law firm concerned, Boies Schiller Flexner, filed another suit against Google last month, claiming that the Chrome browser continues to tracker user activity even when users have enabled Incognito mode. Google has stated that it will fight the June lawsuit but has yet to comment on this month’s effort.
Source: Reuters