Advocacy groups Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Accountable Tech have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging an investigation into Google’s alleged breach of its promise to promptly delete users’ location data related to sensitive places. The complaint accuses Google of violating an FTC consent order from 2011, which stemmed from EPIC’s complaint against Google’s handling of personal data. The groups claim that Google failed to honor its 2022 and 2023 pledges, leading to the request for civil penalties and orders to delete wrongfully retained location data. Google disputes the allegations, maintaining its commitment to data deletion and calling the report inaccurate.
The complaint specifically alleges that Google’s failure to delete location information as promised has persisted months after the pledge. The groups argue that the retention of such data could have serious consequences, allowing law enforcement to access and use it in harmful ways. They emphasize the need for the FTC to hold Google accountable for these alleged violations. Despite Google’s reassurances about its commitment to protecting sensitive location data, the advocacy groups claim that research conducted by Accountable Tech found instances where Google retained such information, pointing to potential flaws in Google’s data retention practices.
Google’s statement disputes the claims in the complaint, asserting that it continues to uphold its promise to delete particularly personal places from Location History. The company refutes the report’s accuracy and describes the allegations as false or misguided. The FTC has received the complaint but has not provided additional comments on the matter. The complaint from EPIC and Accountable Tech comes amid growing scrutiny of entities, including Google, regarding the collection and handling of sensitive data. The advocacy groups seek an investigation into Google’s practices, echoing concerns about the retention of users’ location data related to sensitive places.
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