Privacy group tells US FTC Google tracking violated 2011 order

Google clarified that it does in fact collect users’ location data, even if the user’s Location History setting is turned off. (Dreamstime/TNS)

A privacy group said in a letter sent to the US Federal Trade Commission on Friday that Google has violated the terms of a 2011 settlement because of practices exposed in an Associated Press report this week. 

The Electronic Privacy Information Centre said in the letter to the FTC that Google’s recording of time-stamped location data – even after users have turned off a setting called Location History – “clearly violates” the 2011 settlement.