Advertising and privacy are the issues that have been most debated since the use of social networks has become mass. And it's not the first time that Google seems to take advantage of the information that millions of people spread (free of charge) online to exploit it in terms of advertising. The latest accusation, the Wall Street Journal reveals today, comes from the feared competitor, Apple. The Apple Group allegedly accused Google of placing cookies on Safari browsers, (pre-installed on all iPhones, iPads and Macs), to obtain information on the preferences of millions of users. However, the giant would have ceased these practices, after the WSJ had already accused it in February of using a special code to install small tracking files, the so-called cookies, on the computers of many users of the Apple-branded browser.
The investigations, held by the US Federal Trade Commission and a European action led by the French National Commission on Information Technology and Freedom (Cnil), could mean years of judgments and, in the worst case, heavy penalties for violation of privacy. But the colossus is not intimidated: “We will certainly cooperate with any official who has questions,” a company spokesman said. “We hadn't anticipated this happening, but still we have removed these advertising cookies from Safari browsers".
The investigations concern the ascertainment of a violation by Google of the agreement signed last year in which the company pledged not to misrepresent its practices to consumers. In the event that the violation is ascertained the fine would be very high: 16 dollars for a single violation and, considering that there are millions of Safari users around the world, the total figure would prove astronomical.
Even in Europe the circle is closing. In France, the CNIL has added the latest developments to an already ongoing European investigation into changes to Google's privacy policy, other sources close to the investigation reveal. Last year the same CNIL had imposed a fine of 100.000 euros on Google for collecting passwords and other personal information as company cars cruised the streets across Europe collecting images for the Street View service.
Read the news on Wall Street Journal
