Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is reportedly launching an investigation into the allegations that Google is recording consumers’ location data even if they turn off the tracking app on their Android devices.
According to the Washington Post, a person familiar with the probe and Brnovich’s thinking confirmed the investigation. Google previously denied accusations against location privacy practices.
The attorney general’s office hired a private law firm to help in the investigation, according to a public filing.
Brnovich determined that retaining Cooper & Kirk PLLC “will be cost-effective and in public interest.” The law firm will help the attorney general’s office to look into possible violations of the Consumer Fraud Act. The law firm will also help in a potential litigation. The name of the tech company under investigation is unknown because the public filing was redacted.
However, the attorney general’s office indicated that the law firm will help investigate the “storage of consumer location data, tracking of consumer location, and other tracking…smartphone operating systems even when consumers turn off location services and take other steps to stop such tracking.”
Privacy Issue Regarding Google Location History Affects Billions of Android Users
Last month, the Associated Press reported that Google is recording people’s movement even if they have opted out of its location services on their devices.
