Arizona Claims Google Illegally Tracked Locations Of Residents

PHOENIX — Arizona is suing Google for "deceptive and unfair practices used to obtain users’ location data, which Google then exploits for its lucrative advertising business," Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a news release.

“While Google users are led to believe they can opt-out of location tracking, the company exploits other avenues to invade personal privacy,” he wrote. “It’s nearly impossible to stop Google from tracking your movements without your knowledge or consent. This is contrary to the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and even the most innovative companies must operate within the law.”

Brnovich claims that the collection of data violates the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and refers to Google's collection of data as "deceptive." His office says more than 80 percent of Google’s revenues — $135 billion out of $161 billion total — were generated through advertising. Location data helps Google verify ad performance and to sell more ads.

Brnovich says his office began investigating the issue in August 2018 after an article by the Associated Press explained how users are "lulled into a false sense of security, believing Google provided users the ability to actually disable their Location History."

Business Insider reports that lawsuits have been filed against Google in the U.S. and globally for its data collection methods.