Google Collects ‘Vast Quantities’ of Users’ Personal Information, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

Google collects “vast quantities” of personal information on millions of Canadians without their knowledge or consent, according to a Google privacy class action lawsuit filed last month in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Plaintiff Harondel J. Sibble of Vancouver has reportedly had an active Google account since 2008 and has used Google services and regularly visited third-party websites that included code for Google Ads or Google Analytics.

Class Members of the Google privacy class action lawsuit include Canadian residents who used a Google service or visited a third-party website that includes code for Google Ads or Google Analytics since Nov. 1, 2008.

Google “Casts a Wide Net” in Data Collection

According to the Google data collection class action lawsuit, Google’s business model involves the sale and placement of targeted advertisements that are placed on Google’s own websites and on third-party websites.

“Google casts a wide net in its collection of Class Members’ Personal Information, drawing on a vast number of distinct sources of Personal Information,” the complaint states.

Harondel says Google encourages internet users to sign up for a Google account in order to access Google services like Gmail. When creating a Google account, users are required to provide personal information including their name, birthdate and gender. In addition, Google users are encouraged to provide a phone number and email address.

“Google uses the Class Members’ Personal Information as a commodity on which to base their advertising business and finance their operations, deriving their profits in a manner that is uniformly and objectively offensive to the Class Members,” Harondel alleges.

Google does not only collect personal information from users with Google accounts. According to the Google data collection class action lawsuit, The tech giant also collects personal information from those who use Google services, such as Google Maps and Google Search. The type of data collected allegedly includes search terms and location tracking in Android and Google Maps.

Further, Google allegedly collects personal information without consent from users who visit third-party websites that include code for Google Ads or Google Analytics.

Google Services Designed to Collect Data Without Consent

According to the Google data collection class action lawsuit, the Google Ads program offers payments to operators of third-party websites that allow Google to place advertisements on the website. The Google Analytics program provides information to operators of third-party websites about internet users who visit the site.

Google Ads and Google Analytics are free to use, although Google offers premium services for a fee.

To participate in Google Ads or Google Analytics, the third-party website operators must insert code provided by Google into their website. When an internet user visits the website, the code is transmitted to the user’s device and ultimately sends the user’s personal information to Google.

According to the Google privacy class action lawsuit, the information sent to Google includes the user’s IP address, information about their device and web browser, the web page being viewed, the website that linked the user to the webpage being viewed, and any search terms that led the user to the website.

“All of this occurs automatically and without any mandatory prompts or notifications from Google to the Class Member,” the Google data collection class action lawsuit states.

“Google compiles the Personal Information it collects from this broad array of sources into Profiles of the Class Members,” the Google privacy class action lawsuit alleges. “These Profiles are then used by Google to target the Class Members with advertisements, to advance their software and services, to support Google’s business interests, and to learn how to collect even more Personal Information from the Class Members.”

Harondel claims that Google has misled consumers about the collection, retention and use of their personal information. Google has also taken steps to convince consumers that they can control the collection of their own data, such as implementing Google Incognito or Do Not Track modes. However, Google reportedly continues to collect data using these features when they visit websites with Google Ads or Google Analytics.

Google Privacy Class Action Lawsuits

Google is already facing class action lawsuits over allegations of privacy violations. Earlier this year, Google was hit with a class action lawsuit over privacy concerns associated with Incognito mode.

Google is also facing two class action lawsuits over its data collection practices. One is pending in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and another is pending in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Do you use any Google services? Are you concerned about the tech giant allegedly tracking your location and collecting your personal information without your consent? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below! 

Harondel is represented by Luciana P. Brasil of Branch MacMaster LLP.

The Google Privacy Class Action Lawsuit is Harondel J. Sibble v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. VLC-S-S-208705, in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada.

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