U.K. Court Blocks Mass Legal Action Over Google's Alleged Tracking of Safari Users

[Lankyman]

I'm assuming your response was intended as sarcasm. If not, ignore the rest of my response.

I have intimate knowledge of the workings of the English legal system, so NO, my response was absolutely serious.

If anything it can at times be to focussed on the rights of individuals. The case failed because it simply didn’t come up to ‘proof’.

 

[kdarling]

"tracking was unintentional"

That is a crock. You don't unintentionally install code like that. It requires forethought.

True, but at what level? And who knew?

I've seen plenty of code insertions / workarounds over the years that were done by clever programmers without their upper management knowing how it was done or if it violated any laws. I think most programmers rarely consider such ramifications. They just want their code working again.

It's like back when people flipped out because their iPhones were storing their entire history location. A lot of people wanted to find a conspiracy when it was likely just a programmer who never asked for permission or considered the consequences.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

I have intimate knowledge of the workings of the English legal system, so NO, my response was absolutely serious.

If anything it can at times be to focussed on the rights of individuals. The case failed because it simply didn’t come up to ‘proof’.

Then apologies, because I agree completely.

 

[SBlue1]

I'm so sick of Google's business model, and their sheer lack of concern for data privacy. I understad tracking isn't just limited to FB and Google, but they seem to be leading the way. I'm glad I've shut down and deleted both FB and Google accounts. As well as deleted all of their Apps from my iOS devices.

Ha! Facebook still tracks you and stores your data in a ghost profile. Its just not with your name on it.

I once needed to create a Facebook account for one single reason so I did it just for one day with a fake name and no address. And yet Facebook knew who I am and who my friends were and offered me to connect me with people I may know. One of them being a friend with a fake account as well who I only recognised by his dog photo. He had nothing in his profile as he just created the account for one single reason and forgot to delete it. Still Facebook somehow knew we must have known each other for some reasons. Its was very spooky!

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Ha! Facebook still tracks you and stores your data in a ghost profile. Its just not with your name on it.

I once needed to create a Facebook account for one single reason so I did it just for one day with a fake name and no address. And yet Facebook knew who I am and who my friends were and offered me to connect me with people I may know. One of them being a friend with a fake account as well who I only recognised by his dog photo. He had nothing in his profile as he just created the account for one single reason and forgot to delete it. Still Facebook somehow knew we must have known each other for some reasons. Its was very spooky!

Interesting. Is FB profiling the devices you use?

 

[justperry]

Thank goodness the UK courts are pragmatic and deal in common sense. These litigants are anti-Google and were just after an 'early pay day'.

So, in other words, it's their own fault, don't twist the case, Google was the bad actor here, not users.

It's not even remotely relevant.

 

[hudson1]

Is it a little weak of MacRumors to throw this story out there without any write-up on the ruling from the UK court? It would be nice to know their rationale and certainly they have one (whether it makes sense to you or me is another question). I guess we'll have to Google for the real details. Oh, wait.....

 

[Skeptical.me]

That's true. I guess then it is important for warnings that such services use your personal data to make a profit. More legislated transparency would be a good start.

Ha! Facebook still tracks you and stores your data in a ghost profile. Its just not with your name on it.

I once needed to create a Facebook account for one single reason so I did it just for one day with a fake name and no address. And yet Facebook knew who I am and who my friends were and offered me to connect me with people I may know. One of them being a friend with a fake account as well who I only recognised by his dog photo. He had nothing in his profile as he just created the account for one single reason and forgot to delete it. Still Facebook somehow knew we must have known each other for some reasons. Its was very spooky!

Actually, I had a similar experience. I created a fake profile, this being after I had deleted my real profile, and I was getting friend suggestions whom were former students of my old High School. I now use Firefox with Multi-Account Containers, Temporary Containers (which isolate cookies and tracking), plus I block as much of FB and Google as I can from the router level, as well as using Little Snitch, and other browser extensions. It certainly doesn't eliminate tracking but the logs show that it sure has reduced it.

 

[Mousse]

Thank goodness the UK courts are pragmatic and deal in common sense. These litigants are anti-Google and were just after an 'early pay day'.

Only lawyers get rich on class action lawsuits. The names on the class action suits are lucky to get a $100 (or in this case 77 quids). Shut down the lawsuit and fine Google...heavily. Although $22.5M is a record fine, I think the UK can one up the US here.

 

[lordofthereef]

True, but at what level? And who knew?

I've seen plenty of code insertions / workarounds over the years that were done by clever programmers without their upper management knowing how it was done or if it violated any laws. I think most programmers rarely consider such ramifications. They just want their code working again.

It's like back when people flipped out because their iPhones were storing their entire history location. A lot of people wanted to find a conspiracy when it was likely just a programmer who never asked for permission or considered the consequences.

You are so very often the voice of reason in a long thread of people claiming the world is on fire lol. Thank you.

 

[lederermc]

I'm not a web programer but I would think Apple could sandbox each website to only see it's own cookies and/or delete cookies based a Safari website settings.

 

[thering1975]

I wasn't aware of Apple doing this with our phone numbers, is there a way to opt out of this?

As far as im aware nope, just search google (/s) for apple trust scores

 

[Jimmy James]

I’m surprised that the UK didn’t smack Google hard in order to reduce the competition with their own government.

 

[danckwerts]

This was a civil suit. Google's behaviour was unquestionably unethical but the court's duty is to decide whether the litigants had suffered any harm and, if so, to assess damages. Mr Justice Warby decided that there was insufficient evidence of harm to proceed with the case. If the litigants were interested in punishing Google and deterring it from similar behaviour in the future, rather than obtaining damages, they should have pressed the authorities to prosecute under data protection legislation.

 

[Applemaniac7]

This isn't your normal tracking. This is typical intrusive spyware behavior.

"Hey siri"... yep, just checking... she's always listening......
[doublepost=1539018137][/doublepost]

Yet people still willingly use Android Googledroid phones.

So... at a certain time.. "somebody" at a certain IP address went on a shopping website.. they were then automatically sent an add about similar shops next time they were on YouTube!!

THE B@ST@RDS!!!

They have destroyed my life!!!!!!!!
[doublepost=1539018462][/doublepost]

Would all these services from these companies be FREE to use otherwise? Serious question directed towards anyone.

Of course not, folk are up in arms... not because of the issue, but because it's an apple competitor and they 're getting all loyal and protective of little old Apple...
In reality, getting free services in exchange for adds of products you have just recently searched for... is hardly the end of the world..

I use booking.com a lot, each time I've done a search. In the afternoon, there will.be similar rated hotels on the side of my browser... whoopee doo!! If this is what it COSTS to use Google, then so be it!!

 

[Order_66]

Google can literally do anything and nobody would bat an eye. Why? Because Google holds everybody by the balls, via Search (every media outlet), youtube (all media/youtubers that get viewers/income through it), and GMail (roughly everyone). This is why the "Do no evil" motto was extremely critical and the old Google was aware of it. But then Google changed, and now they'll just do anything, knowing that they get a free pass.

It's the same with Microsoft, they even have keylogging and many other spying mechanisms built in to windows 10 and still nothing happens because of reliance on windows software.

 

[inkswamp]

That's the thing that baffles me, the lack of concern by the general public. They seem to either not understand the ethics that apply to such intrusion or simply don't care.

But... Google gives us free stuff. /general public

"Hey siri"... yep, just checking... she's always listening......

I assume you've set up a network packet sniffer to verify that Siri is sending data to Apple at times when it shouldn't be. Surely, you're not implying a lack of trustworthiness on Apple's part solely on the basis that a phone feature can be voice-activated.

 

[Karma*Police]

It's interesting how much flack FB is getting yet Google seems to get a free pass, whether it's sharing email data with 3rd parties, or worse, actively circumventing user privacy settings to collect their data. FB might have been lax/dumb about how it handled its data, but they never crossed that line which is far worse IMO. It's time the media and users held Google (and Amazon) to the same standards. Where are all the calls to #deletegmail? #boycottandroid?

 

[iOSUser7]

Faux outrage, funny. Like Apple are good and Google are evil - please!

Google make fantastic apps, offer great services and make some decent tech.

What, you think all this comes for free? I don't get pestered with ads pop ups or anything else yet use Google's suite of apps because they are the best.

You have to accept there's no such thing as a free lunch, so either accept that or get rid of all your tech.

I never said Apple are good and Google are evil, I know exactly what companies are after (i.e. profit).
It’s just that I have way more trust in Apple than Google given their history. I mean, did Apple already got caught selling customers data? I don’t think so as opposed to Google.

Also Apple doesn’t make money selling customers data, they make money selling those 1300$ iPhones which is way more fine to me than what Google is doing.

Just do it. It may take an entire day or it may take a few weeks, but you'll be happy once you've done it. I'm actually doing it now with both hotmail and gmail. But I'm moving those to a secure email service.

Yeah I might do that sooner than later. I mean I did it for Facebook some time ago, it took me hours to go through all my history and delete everything (and ultimately closing my account) but I couldn’t be more happier now that I know I’m not being spied like I used to be.

 

[Lankyman]

So, in other words, it's their own fault, don't twist the case, Google was the bad actor here, not users.

It's not even remotely relevant.

Funny. Shock news, Google collects data.

 

[DoctorTech]

All the more reason I stick with Apple products and avoid Google as much as possible.

 

[Lankyman]

I never said Apple are good and Google are evil, I know exactly what companies are after (i.e. profit).
It’s just that I have way more trust in Apple than Google given their history. I mean, did Apple already got caught selling customers data? I don’t think so as opposed to Google.

Also Apple doesn’t make money selling customers data, they make money selling those 1300$ iPhones which is way more fine to me than what Google is doing.

Google make great apps and offer great services. My iPhone and iPad are full of Google apps, Apple apps removed where possible. I'm totally happy with the arrangement.

 

[kdarling]

The lawsuit's claimants alleged that Google illegally gathered the personal data of over 4 million iPhone users in the U.K. between 2011 and 2012 by bypassing the default privacy settings on Apple's smartphones which allowed it to track the online behavior of users browsing in Safari.

Not really. Google was using it so that if you pushed their Google+ Share button (see upper left below) to share something with friends, it would know who you were so it could give you a list of possible recipients.



What's more interesting is that many iOS users think that turning off third party advertising in settings actually does so. It does not. It simply limits the time that third party cookies are active (unless used).

It’s just that I have way more trust in Apple than Google given their history. I mean, did Apple already got caught selling customers data? I don’t think so as opposed to Google.

Nonsense. Google doesn't sell customer data. That would negate their entire business model.

They sell anonymous ad slots, same as Apple did with iAds and still does with their App ads.

Also Apple doesn’t make money selling customers data, they make money selling those 1300$ iPhones which is way more fine to me than what Google is doing.

Apple indeed makes large hardware profits off its users.

Moreover, access to those same users is yet another product Apple sells. E.g. Apple sells Google the right to be the primary search engine for billions a year of the ad revenue. Banks have to pay Apple in order to let their own customers use open standard contactless payments via Apple Pay, a process in which Apple does nothing.

 

[mantan]

**** Google, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, FaceBook. I'm sick and tired of all these so called "Social Media" giants invading and making money off of us by stealing and selling our private information to 3rd parties without our consent! It's time we do something about this as a whole. Time to fight back. Delete and stop using anything related to these evil corporations. I'm glad I deleted FaceBook, and replace Google with DuckDuckGo. I don't use those other "social media" sites so I'm good.

We can't tolerate this type of behavior anymore. I'm sick about hearing about all these privacy breaches that have been going on. It's getting way out of hand. Boycott these corporations. What they are doing is illegal.

The saying is 'if you don't pay for the product, you are the product.'

And companies have figured out most users vastly underestimate the value of a comprehensive data profile on them and are more than happy to shrug their shoulders as long as they can play with their toys and apps.

 

[pika2000]

It's the same with Microsoft, they even have keylogging and many other spying mechanisms built in to windows 10 and still nothing happens because of reliance on windows software.

Yup. Microsoft managed to create distractions with their Surface brand, and behind the scenes, they changed their gameplay and business method into more intrusive ways. Having said that though, there are more check and balances with Microsoft due to their past. They are changing, but quite slow.

Google, however, has less inhibition due to their nature of selling ads as their business model.