Security News > 2020 > August > Android user chucks potential $10bn+ sueball at Google over 'spying', 'harvesting data'... this time to build supposed rival to TikTok called 'Shorts'

The putative class-action suit, filed on Wednesday in the Northern district of California [PDF] also alleged that Google was gathering info from TikTok specifically in order to "Unfairly compete against TikTok [with a] competing video platform app called 'Shorts'."

The suit further alleged that Lockbox worked "Through Google Mobile Services and allows Google employees to spy on how Android Smartphone users interact with non-Google apps. For example, Google is able to collect data on when and how often an Android smartphone user opens and runs non-Google apps and the amount of time spent in non-Google apps."

The plaintiff, Robert McCoy, stated that Google asks for "Consent" during the Android setup process, but says that users are "Only vaguely told that Google will collect personal data 'to offer a more personalized experience'," adding: "Android smartphone users... relied upon this statement when setting up their Android smartphones thinking that [they] would become more 'personalized' when in fact Google actually secretly pilfered their sensitive personal data without their consent."

The suit also claims that it is not "Disclosed that Google actually monitors, collects, and uses sensitive personal data when Android users use non-Google apps."

Google has previously said it collects the data from users who agree to share their "Usage and diagnostics" information with the firm.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/08/07/android_users_chuck_sueball_at/