The Verge - Google, cookies, and the battle over browser privacy settingshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2013-11-18T15:33:47-05:00http://www.theverge.com/rss/stream/25773112013-11-18T15:33:47-05:002013-11-18T15:33:47-05:00Google agrees to pay states $17 million in browser privacy settlement
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<figcaption>Google New York Chelsea Office (STOCK)</figcaption>
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<p>Google has entered into a $17 million settlement with 37 states and the District of Columbia after the company was found to circumvent privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser. Between 2011 and 2012, Google secretly stored web tracking cookies in Safari, overriding Apple's default settings that forbid third-party cookies from being installed. "By tracking millions of people without their knowledge, Google violated not only their privacy, but also their trust," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. His state will receive $899,580 of the settlement money.</p>
<p>Last year, Google agreed to pay another settlement of $22.5 million in response to similar complaints from the FTC. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/10/4825350/judge-dismisses-suit-against-google-for-bypassing-safari-privacy">Users have also tried unsuccessfully</a> to...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/18/5119054/google-agrees-to-pay-states-17-million-in-privacy-settlementChris Welch2013-10-10T18:06:03-04:002013-10-10T18:06:03-04:00Judge dismisses suit against Google for bypassing Safari privacy settings
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<p>A Delaware judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit against Google for secretly storing Safari cookies even when users had opted out. In a ruling from yesterday, Judge Sue Robinson wrote that the plaintiffs — who had filed suit under a variety of privacy and anti-hacking laws — hadn't proved real harm under any of them, nor had they convincingly argued that Google had violated their legal rights.</p>
<p>The basic facts of the case aren't particularly in dispute. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/17/2804095/google-safari-security-cookies">In early 2012</a>, researchers discovered that Google and several advertising networks had found an exploit that let them surreptitiously store cookies through the Safari and mobile Safari browsers, regardless of users' privacy settings. While Google essentially called the process an...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/10/4825350/judge-dismisses-suit-against-google-for-bypassing-safari-privacyAdi Robertson2012-08-11T18:18:41-04:002012-08-11T18:18:41-04:00After Facebook privacy snafu, FTC may force companies to admit wrongdoing even if they settle
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<figcaption>Facebook Password lock</figcaption>
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<p>The FTC settled two high-profile cases with Google and Facebook this week, but in both cases the technology giants got off without having to admit any wrongdoing in the cases. Google simply will <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/9/3230351/google-ftc-22-5-million-penalty-safari">pay its $22.5 million fine</a>, while Facebook' privacy policies will be assessed by a third party every two years, among a <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/10/3233542/ftc-approves-facebook-privacy-settlement">number of other restrictions</a> — but terms of the settlement mean that both companies are exempt from owning up to the behaviors that got them into trouble in the first place. In the wake of these high-profile cases, the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/business/facebook-settlement-on-privacy-is-finalized-by-ftc.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all" target="_blank"><i>New York Times</i> is reporting</a> that the FTC is planning to re-examine the practice of letting companies settle without admitting guilt. </p>
<p>One of the driving forces around any potential changes appears to be FTC...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/8/11/3236350/ftc-settlement-forcing-guilt-admission-facebook-googleNathan Ingraham2012-08-09T11:39:47-04:002012-08-09T11:39:47-04:00Google to pay $22.5 million to settle privacy charges
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<p>Google has agreed to pay a $22.5 million penalty to settle FTC privacy charges that the search giant ignored user settings within Apple's Safari browser. The figure, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/31/3207388/fcc-approval-google-fine-safari-cookies">rumored for some time now</a>, is the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/10/3148635/google-safari-cookie-ftc-safari-fine-22-5-million/in/2577311">largest fee the agency has ever collected</a> for such a violation. Google violated a prior privacy agreement with the FTC earlier this year when it bypassed browser settings by placing cookies on a user's computer — even if they had been specifically disabled in settings.</p>
<p>"The record setting penalty in this matter sends a clear message to all companies under an FTC privacy order," said FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz of the agreement. ""No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/8/9/3230351/google-ftc-22-5-million-penalty-safariChris Welch2012-07-31T16:58:38-04:002012-07-31T16:58:38-04:00FCC reportedly approves $22.5 million Google fine for Safari cookie scandal
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<img alt="iOS Safari Cookies Settings 640" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O-8YMmYx-EIDjL58-lj7yaM-0zU=/2x0:638x424/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/955707/ios_mobilesafari_settings_640.jpg" />
<figcaption>iOS Safari Cookies Settings 640</figcaption>
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<p>We heard that the FCC and Google were <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/10/3148635/google-safari-cookie-ftc-safari-fine-22-5-million">near a $22.5 million settlement</a> for Google's part in <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/17/2804095/google-safari-security-cookies">circumventing Safari users' cookie privacy settings</a>, and now <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/31/net-us-google-ftc-penalty-idUSBRE86U1FD20120731" target="_blank"><i>Reuters</i> is reporting</a> that the FCC has voted to approve the fine, with an official announcement expected in the next few days. Rather than a straight fine, this settlement is being described as a "consent decree," which allows Google to settle with the FCC without admitting liability. The crux of this issue comes from a discovery earlier this year that Google (as well as other ad networks) were circumventing Safari privacy settings which allowed the companies to deposit cookies, despite browser settings that shouldn't have allowed that behavior. This was an issue for both the desktop and...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/7/31/3207388/fcc-approval-google-fine-safari-cookiesNathan Ingraham2012-07-10T05:52:37-04:002012-07-10T05:52:37-04:00Google facing FTC's largest fine ever for circumventing Safari's cookie blocker, says WSJ
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<p>Five months after the first news that <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/17/2804095/google-safari-security-cookies">Google circumvented users’ cookie settings</a> in Apple’s mobile and desktop Safari web browsers, it looks like the company is close to settling the matter with the FTC for $22.5 million. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702303567704577517081178553046-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMDExNDAyWj.html"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a>, there is a good chance that the penalty will be the largest the Commission has ever levied on a single company.</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/7/10/3148635/google-safari-cookie-ftc-safari-fine-22-5-millionJeff Blagdon2012-05-04T15:10:30-04:002012-05-04T15:10:30-04:00Google facing FTC fine for circumventing Safari privacy settings, says Bloomberg
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<figcaption>iOS Safari Cookies Settings 640</figcaption>
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<p>Google may be in the process of negotiating with the US Federal Trade Commission over a fine for using an invasive advertising cookie on Safari. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-04/google-said-to-face-fine-by-u-s-over-apple-safari-breach.html">According to <i>Bloomberg</i></a>, "a person familiar with the matter" says that the company could pay up to tens of millions of dollars over a violation of privacy safeguards. If the case goes forward, the FTC will apparently allege that Google "deceived consumers and violated terms of a consent decree signed with the commission last year" when it tracked Safari users' web activity regardless of their privacy settings.</p>
<p>If Google pays this fine, it could still face investigation by the EU, which is also rumored to be looking into the matter. Google has previously maintained that the breach was accidental,...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/5/4/2999451/google-ftc-fine-safari-cookie-trackingAdi Robertson2012-03-16T11:01:02-04:002012-03-16T11:01:02-04:00Google facing more privacy litigation, according to WSJ
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<p><i>The Wall Street Journal</i> has reported that US and EU regulators are investigating Google for its <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/17/2804095/google-safari-security-cookies">circumvention of Safari's privacy settings</a>, according to "people familiar with the investigations." The scandal, which was also broken by the <i>WSJ, </i>revolved around Google using an invasive advertising cookie that tracked web activity regardless of the users privacy settings, and Microsoft <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/20/2812262/google-bypasses-user-privacy-Microsoft-internet-explorer/in/2577311">quickly called Google out</a> for the same issue. </p>
<p>According to the report, the use of this cookie may have violated a previous settlement regarding misrepresentation of its privacy practices, and has sparked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to look into any potential breach. Google could face a very large fine of $16,000 per violation, per day, for breaching...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2012/3/16/2877156/google-privacy-investigation-ftc-cnil-euAaron Souppouris