Safari users win right to sue Google over privacy

UK consumers have won the right to sue Google over an alleged misuse of privacy settings.

The search giant lost a Court of Appeal bid after a group of users claimed it bypassed security settings though the Safari browser to install tracking cookies on their computers.

One of the clients hailed the move a “David and Goliath victory”, while Google said it was “disappointed with the court’s decision”.

The Apple-based browser was subjected to a so-called workaround, which allegedly allowed Google to avoid the Safari web browser’s default privacy setting to place cookies, that gathered data such as surfing habits, social class, race, ethnicity, without users’ knowledge, reports the BBC.

Google claimed there was no case as consumers had suffered no financial harm.

In its judgement, the Court of Appeal said: “These claims raise serious issues which merit a trial.

“They concern what is alleged to have been the secret and blanket tracking and collation of information, often of an extremely private nature… about and associated with the claimants’ internet use, and the subsequent use of that information for about nine months. The case relates to the anxiety and distress this intrusion upon autonomy has caused.”