Australian court dismisses suit against Google over personal data use

FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with a Google app icon is seen in front of the displayed Australian flag in this illustration, January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) -Australia's competition regulator said on Friday its lawsuit against Alphabet Inc's Google that alleged consumers were misled about expanded use of personal data for targeted advertising had been dismissed by a court.

The proceedings, initiated by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission in July 2020, alleged Google did not explicitly take consent from users about a change made in 2016 that combined personal information in Google accounts with activity on non-Google sites that use its technology to display advertisements.