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Google Seeks To Throw Out UK Safari Tracking Suit

Posted by Unknown on from the international-relations dept.

judgecorp writes "In the latest twist to the saga of Google's tracking of Safari users, the tech giant has asked to have a U.K. lawsuit dismissed. Google says it is bound by California laws, so plaintiffs will have to come to the U.S. and sue there. Law firm Olswang is bringing the suit on behalf of British users whose Safari browser settings were overridden to help Google target ads; it argues that international organizations should respect the laws that apply where their customers live."

7 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Google Bows to No Queen by theodp · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Consistent with their tax stance, at least. :-)

    1. Re:Google Bows to No Queen by Penguinisto · · Score: 3, Informative

      Doesn't matter - like most jurisdictions, if a business has a physical presence in a given area, they can be sued and are subject to the laws in that area. Odds are pretty good that Google has a physical presence at least somewhere in the UK, so...

      Gotta give 'em credit for Chutzpah, though.

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:Google Bows to No Queen by hguorbray · · Score: 3, Funny

      Tracking Suits are for Chavs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav

      -I'm just sayin'

    3. Re:Google Bows to No Queen by Desler · · Score: 3, Informative

      Even if I have a presence in the UK, if a block there agreed to be bound by CA law, we have to go there to settle this contract.

      No, that would simply make it an illegal contract and it would be nullified.

  2. Re:Wow just WOW by Desler · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ironically Google stood alone in fighting China and refused to censor...

    That is quite an interesting rewriting of history. Google was censoring the results on the mainland China page starting in 2006 up until to 2010. They only stopped censoring in Jan 2010 in response to the Chinese hack attack against them

  3. How's that again? by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 3, Funny

    UK safari tracking suit?

  4. Is that valid? There's a good chance it isn't by ciaran_o_riordan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A lot of people seeing this sort of case ask a question like: can Google really decide where lawsuits must be filed?

    I don't know the law about this in England, but in Belgium it seems the answer is: if the judge finds it not to be abusive.

    In a case like this, where the "injured" party is financially small and the amount of damages per injured party will also be small, I wouldn't be surprised if Google's clause was found inapplicable.

    But as I said, I don't know the relevant law in England. Just saying that besides yes and no, the answer could also be "it depends".

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