The media entity found that “some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking.” This would mean that the technology giant’s support page regarding Location History is not true. It states: “You can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.”
According to AP, it is possible to delete a person’s location history on his/her device, but it is difficult.
This privacy issue affects approximately 2 billion consumers using Android devices. It also affects hundreds of millions of iPhone users who rely on Google Maps and Google search.
Brnovich opened an investigation into the matter a week after the AP’s report.
The attorney general’s spokesman, Ryan Anderson, noted the “recent bombshell reports depicting how the tech industry handles consumer data” in an interview with the Washington Post.
He said those reports included the AP story that “highlighted Google’s apparent tracking of consumer movement even if you opt out of such services.”
