Google fined $22.5 million for ignoring customers' privacy settings - the largest penalty ever imposed by FTC (but it'll take Google just 17 hours to make)
- Google used a special computer code - or 'cookies' - to trick Apple's Safari browser so it could monitor users
- Google said it was 'inadvertent' and has removed it
- Violated FTC agreement to be open about privacy practices
By REUTERS REPORTER and DAILY MAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED, 10 July 2012
Google Inc is reportedly close to paying $22.5 million to settle charges that it bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple's Safari browser.
The staggering sum would be the largest penalty ever levied on a single company by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
But, with Google reporting a net income of $2.89 billion in the first quarter of this year, it would take just over 17 hours for the company to earn the amount to pay off the fine.
Fine: Google is close to paying a $22.5 million fine after it reportedly bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple's Safari browser and stored data on their search preferences
