Google agreed to a $93 million settlement with California over accusations of unauthorized consumer data collection, according to a statement from the state’s attorney general.
The investigation by the California Department of Justice revealed that Google misled users by gathering, storing, and utilizing their location data for profiling and advertising without proper consent.
Attorney General Rob Bonta mentioned that Google committed to take steps to halt such practices, extending these measures to other states as well.
Google responded by saying the matter was related to older product policies that were previously altered.
They referred to a 2022 blog post that highlighted the introduction of transparency tools. The state emphasized the significance of location-based advertising for Google and also noted that location data influences the company’s user profiles.
Bonta had previously criticized Google’s location data practices, citing that data collection continued in alternative ways even when users disabled location history.
The settlement requires Google to clarify its location tracking practices and inform users about its potential use in targeted advertising.
This settlement is awaiting court approval. Earlier in the year, the Biden administration had suggested breaking up Google’s advertising business.
Meanwhile, Google Messages is rolling out a redesigned homescreen on Samsung devices, eliminating the navigation drawer.
This Samsung-specific version of Google Messages supports syncing across tablets and watches and aligns with Samsung’s One UI, incorporating a sizable header for enhanced user accessibility.
As this redesign is being introduced (notably to more beta testers this week), it’s also been integrated into Samsung’s version of the app.
The app’s name still prominently displays on the homescreen, now accompanied by the tech firm‘s multicolored ‘G’ logo.
