Google To Pay PA $19 Million Location Tracking Practices Settlement

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania will receive $19.6 million from Google as part of a larger settlement agreement over its location tracking practices. The overall settlement of $391.5 million involves 40 attorneys general from across the country.

The attorneys general opened a Google investigation in 2018, after an Associated Press article revealed Google “records your movements even when you explicitly tell it not to.”

The article focused on two Google account settings: location history and web and app activity. Location history is off unless a user turns on the setting, but web and app activity - a separate account setting - automatically is on when users establish Google accounts.

The privacy invasion impacted all Android phone users.

“Right now, consumers are beholden to Google’s promise that Big Tech knows what’s best for users’ data,” state attorney general and Governor-elect Josh Shapiro said in a statement. “Google’s impact on the lives of everyday Americans is pervasive— they have a responsibility to consumers to ensure that the data they collect is only obtained with express consent from the user."

According to Shapiro's office, location data is a primary element of Google’s digital advertising business. Google uses the personal and behavioral data it collects to build detailed user profiles and target ads on behalf of its advertising customers. Even a small amount of location data can expose a person’s identity and routines and can reveal other personal details.

The settlement limits Google’s use and storage of some types of location information and
requires Google account controls to be more user-friendly.