A lawsuit in the UK is underway against Google over the way it gathers personal information and then uses it to push targeted advertising at them.
Three people involved in bringing the lawsuit have won the approval of the High Court to bring the internet provider to trial.
The case revolves around consumer privacy, the right to control who collects information on individuals, and how that information is used.
Judith Vidal-Hall, Robert Hann and Marc Bradshaw, who all use Apple's Safari browser, said that Google is taking their browsing habits and using that information for tailored advertising which amounts to a breach of privacy.
While Google argued for the trial to take place in California, the High Court ruled instead that the court in the UK was the “appropriate jurisdiction”.
The trio accuse Google of misusing private information, breach of confidence and breaking the data protection laws.
Mr Justice Tugenhat noted that Google can provide free services, such as email and search facilities, because “it collects information from the users of its services...that it can sell to suppliers.” This, he continued, “can be used by them for advertisements which are targeted...”
Google’s QC argued that the information was anonymous but not private. But the judge said he found this “surprising” as Google “would not collect and collate the information unless doing so enabled it to produce something of value”.
“The value it produces is the facility for targeted advertising of which the claimants complain, and which yields the spectacular revenues for which Google Inc is famous”, the judge said.
“I am satisfied that there is a serious issue to be tried in each of the claimants' claims for misuse of private information.”
Google had said it will appeal. No date has been set for the full hearing.
