Google is to face further legal battles over allegations of use of hidden cookies, with one claim already launched in the UK and a potential mass-action under coordination.
UK-based users of Apple’s Safari web browser claim that Google’s code enabled the bypassing of security settings and allowed cookies to be installed on Apple devices, resulting in the hidden tracking of internet use on devices.
The complainants are accusing Google of purposely breaching their privacy, after the company repeatedly assured users throughout the summer of 2011 until the spring of 2012 that no cookies were being used and that the Safari browser was secure.
One individual has already launched a legal claim against Google, while law firm Olswang has been appointed to coordinate further claims and perhaps launch a group action.
Noting that Google must be held accountable, Dan Tench, a partner at Olswang said: “We hope that [Google] will take this opportunity to give Safari users a proper explanation about what happened, to apologise and, where appropriate, compensate the victims of their intrusion,” reports SkyNews.
Google was fined US$22.5 million by the US Federal Trade Commission last year on the same grounds. In the US claim, it was found that Google collected data on Internet use through cookies in order to better target advertising displayed to the individual user.
