Photo: ANP
Technology company Google cannot be brought in class action by a group of UK consumers over the way the company handled user data in 2011 and 2012. The UK High Court has ruled such a case is “doomed to fail”. After all, compensation can only be awarded if it is established for each user that Google has used their data illegally and that this user has suffered damages as a result.
The interest group Google You Owe Us, which brought the case, wanted to talk about £3 billion on Google. It turned out to be more than 3.5 billion euros. Since Google is headquartered outside the UK, the Claims Club had to obtain permission from a judge to bring a case against the company. The first judge blocked it, but Google You Owe Us got leave on appeal.
The case revolves around a period of several months in 2011 and 2012. According to Google You Owe Us, Google illegally collected data about people using the company’s Chrome browser. Google also used this data in its advertising service.
Google You Owe Us says it is “extremely disappointed” with the decision. Google responded with satisfaction.
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