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Does Google customize ads based on users fetishes?
In one of the most high-profile cases of recent times, a woman filed a class-action lawsuit against the largest online sex toy store Adam and Eve. The reason for the trial was the accusation that the site transmitted data about users ' search queries, including information about their sexual preferences, to Google without the consent of customers. Details of the case were shared by the publication 404 Media.
Plaintiff Jane Doe claims that Adam and Eve used the Google Analytics tool without the user IP anonymization feature enabled. As a result, according to the woman, PHE, which owns Adam and Eve, as well as Google itself, disclosed extremely sensitive information. This includes sexual preferences, orientations, practices, fetishes, preferences in sex toys and lubricants, as well as search queries without explicit consent.
In addition, the data describes site visits, including viewing the categories "lesbian toys", female sex toys, and realistic dildos. It is noted that Google Analytics recorded the plaintiff's interest in certain sex toys, including those added to the basket of goods. It is also claimed that any information entered through the search bar on the main page of the site is also transmitted to Google.
The lawsuit emphasizes that this combination of data with the user's IP address allows Google to identify the buyer's identity. At the same time, consumers were not aware that their activity on the site would become known to third parties (in this case, Google) without obtaining their consent.
The plaintiff alleges a violation of the California Privacy Act, which prohibits services from sharing user information with third parties without their consent. This claim does not require proof of actual damages to make claims, and you can claim compensation of $5,000 for each violation. With nearly 40 million people living in California, and Adam and Eve being the most popular online sex toy retailer, the claim amount could be huge. Adam and Eve did not comment on this issue.
In one of the most high-profile cases of recent times, a woman filed a class-action lawsuit against the largest online sex toy store Adam and Eve. The reason for the trial was the accusation that the site transmitted data about users ' search queries, including information about their sexual preferences, to Google without the consent of customers. Details of the case were shared by the publication 404 Media.
Plaintiff Jane Doe claims that Adam and Eve used the Google Analytics tool without the user IP anonymization feature enabled. As a result, according to the woman, PHE, which owns Adam and Eve, as well as Google itself, disclosed extremely sensitive information. This includes sexual preferences, orientations, practices, fetishes, preferences in sex toys and lubricants, as well as search queries without explicit consent.
In addition, the data describes site visits, including viewing the categories "lesbian toys", female sex toys, and realistic dildos. It is noted that Google Analytics recorded the plaintiff's interest in certain sex toys, including those added to the basket of goods. It is also claimed that any information entered through the search bar on the main page of the site is also transmitted to Google.
The lawsuit emphasizes that this combination of data with the user's IP address allows Google to identify the buyer's identity. At the same time, consumers were not aware that their activity on the site would become known to third parties (in this case, Google) without obtaining their consent.
The plaintiff alleges a violation of the California Privacy Act, which prohibits services from sharing user information with third parties without their consent. This claim does not require proof of actual damages to make claims, and you can claim compensation of $5,000 for each violation. With nearly 40 million people living in California, and Adam and Eve being the most popular online sex toy retailer, the claim amount could be huge. Adam and Eve did not comment on this issue.
