Arizona announces $85M settlement with Google over user data

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Tuesday that his office had reached an $85 million settlement with Google to resolve a lawsuit that accused the tech company of “surreptitiously” obtaining user data to sell advertisements.

Arizona prosecutors began investigating Google after an Associated Press story in 2018 reported Google was misleading consumers on how they were tracking and using their location data.

Brnovich’s office sued Google in May 2020 for allegedly tracking people’s location with deceptive practices and coercive design tactics that were built into its software.

Prosecutors said Google generates most of its profit by selling ads that are shown to its users.

The case was headed to trial this month before a settlement was reached.

Brnovich said the settlement directs the bulk of the money to the general fund and it will require legislative appropriation before it can be spent.