US, European Consumer Groups Call on FTC to Investigate Google for Deceptive Tracking of Users

Over 75 consumer groups in U.S. and Europe have asked the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate Google for unfairly and deceptively manipulating users of mobile phones with its Android operating system by constantly tracking location. A letter sent to the FTC by the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a forum of US and EU consumer organizations, says Google manipulates users into constant location tracking. It reads: "On behalf of members of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) , we are writing to urge you to investigate deceptive and misleading practices by Google. A new report published today by the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) shows how Google manipulates and nudges users of mobile phones with the Android operating system, such as Samsung phones, into being constantly location-tracked through the Location History and Web & App Activity settings, which are applied into all Google accounts." The referenced report above, also released today, is entitled "Every Step You Take," which follows up another report released in June.