Google Pays $391.5 Million for Secretly Tracking Users' Locations

A coalition of 40 state attorneys general alleged that Google deceived consumers about its location tracking practices. Users who disabled "Location History" in their Google account settings reasonably believed they had turned off location tracking. However, Google continued to collect location data through a separate setting called "Web & App Activity" — and the company did not clearly disclose this.

The investigation was triggered by a 2018 Associated Press investigation that revealed Google's Android phones and many Google apps store location data even when users explicitly turn off the "Location History" feature. Google's own support pages had stated that "with Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored" — a claim the AGs found to be misleading.

Location data is among the most sensitive types of personal information. It can reveal where people live, work, worship, seek medical care, attend protests, and maintain personal relationships. Google used this data to sell targeted advertising — a business worth over $200 billion annually.

The case demonstrated how tech companies can use confusing settings and buried options to continue collecting valuable data even when users believe they have opted out.