Google Facing Tens of Millions of Dollars in Fines over Safari Privacy Circumvention

MacRumors · May 4, 2012

Bloomberg briefly reports that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing to fine Google over its efforts to circumvent privacy restrictions in Safari for iOS to track users through ads on numerous sites across the web. According to a source, the fine is likely to amount to tens of millions of dollars.

Google Inc. (GOOG) is negotiating with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over how big a fine it will have to pay for its breach of Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s Safari Internet browser, a person familiar with the matter said. [...]

The fine would be the first by the FTC for a violation of Internet privacy safeguards as the agency steps up enforcement of the Web.

Google took advantage of a loophole in Safari's default privacy settings, making the browser think that the user was interacting with a given ad, thus allowing a tracking cookie to be installed. With that cookie installed, it became easy for Google to add additional cookies and to track users across the web as they visited other sites displaying ads from Google's networks.

Article Link: Google Facing Tens of Millions of Dollars in Fines over Safari Privacy Circumvention

iAppl3Fan · May 4, 2012

Google deserves the fine. Make it a good one.

miles01110 · May 4, 2012

With that big of a penalty I'm sure it'll be a deterrent to others who want to do the same thing.

gorskiegangsta · May 4, 2012

Don't be evil!

...or pay the price.

tigres · May 4, 2012

there is always a price for free...

reedmartin · May 4, 2012

I thought Google does no evil, and it's apples fault that they left this exploit open?

IJ Reilly · May 4, 2012

Another chump change fine. A cost of doing business for Google, and not a significant cost at that.

Shrink · May 4, 2012

The illusion of any semblance of privacy is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

I hope the fine is large enough to get Google's, and others, attention.

Canaan · May 4, 2012

Seriously, this is why I don't use most google apps. (Unfortunately youtube and google search I cannot find suitable alternatives for

)

I understand that they make money tracking people, but the fact that they will utilize exploits and security flaws to do so is really disconcerting.

donga · May 4, 2012

and the never ending battle continues....

nwcs · May 4, 2012

What is wrong is that the fine goes to the government instead of all of us who use Safari whose privacy was negotiated around. It's impractical, sure, but the damage was done to us not the government.

longofest · May 4, 2012

Go ahead and fine Google, but at what point do you say that Apple should be held accountable as well? I kind of see this as a lock manufacturer (Apple) making a sub-standard lock (Safari) and selling it to customers. An intruder (Google) breaks in to the customer's house by easily busting the sub-standard lock.

The sub-standard security doesn't make what Google did right, but at some point the customer should be looking at Apple and asking "WTF are you providing me here?"

I still think iOS is better overall than any other mobile OS around, but I'm not against holding Apple to the fire for being lax in security.

AustinIllini · May 4, 2012

This is the number 1 reason why I won't go back to Android. How can you possibly tell me that Google isn't interested in selling my information? Honestly, this is just flagrant.

Rocketman · May 4, 2012

article said:
The fine would be the first by the FTC for a violation of Internet privacy safeguards as the agency steps up enforcement of the Web.

This smacks of retroactive enforcement. FTC should give Google a demand letter not a fine. Any fine collected should be paid to Apple as a down payment in civil damages, not absorbed by the government.

What nwcs said. Net collected fines could be added to dividends.

Rocketman

nwcs · May 4, 2012

Canaan said:
I understand that they make money tracking people, but the fact that they will utilize exploits and security flaws to do so is really disconcerting.

Take a look at the Ghostery plugin.

longofest · May 4, 2012

Rocketman said:
This smacks of retroactive enforcement. FTC should give Google a demand letter not a fine. Any fine collected should be paid to Apple as a down payment in civil damages, not absorbed by the government.

Rocketman

Why paid to Apple? Apple wasn't hurt in this... the users were.

AustinIllini · May 4, 2012

longofest said:
Go ahead and fine Google, but at what point do you say that Apple should be held accountable as well?

If you get robbed, you don't sue your landlord.

bb426 · May 4, 2012

Good. Tens of millions should be the very LEAST they should pay.

longofest · May 4, 2012

AustinIllini said:
If you get robbed, you don't sue your landlord.

In general no, but you can if your landlord was negligent in providing adequate security.

tigres · May 4, 2012

longofest said:
Go ahead and fine Google, but at what point do you say that Apple should be held accountable as well? I kind of see this as a lock manufacturer (Apple) making a sub-standard lock (Safari) and selling it to customers. An intruder (Google) breaks in to the customer's house by easily busting the sub-standard lock.

The sub-standard security doesn't make what Google did right, but at some point the customer should be looking at Apple and asking "WTF are you providing me here?"

I still think iOS is better overall than any other mobile OS around, but I'm not against holding Apple to the fire for being lax in security.

You make a very valid point, and one that has been discussed a lot recently without so much as a peep out of the apple camp.

cashxx · May 4, 2012

They got the money

Better be more than that to hurt them. They got the money and tens of millions won't hurt them at all.

ObjectiveV · May 4, 2012

Imagine how awesome things would be today if Apple and Google were still on good terms. This constant fighting (in this case totally justified) is only holding both of them back.

millertime021 · May 4, 2012

Sucks to suck, Google.

AustinIllini · May 4, 2012

longofest said:
In general no, but you can if your landlord was negligent in providing adequate security.

That's a fair point. The question is whether Apple didn't put locks on the door or whether Google picked them. This report makes it look like the latter, but the former is definitely possible.

reedmartin · May 4, 2012

Google picked them by inserting code into their ads which fooled safari into thinking the user was submitting a form.

Straight up exploitation of the browser. but no, it's apples fault

Google Facing Tens of Millions of Dollars in Fines over Safari Privacy Circumvention

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