SANTA MONICA, CA — Five consumer privacy groups today emphasized their continuing opposition to a proposed $8.5 million settlement in a class action suit against Google for privacy violations in the way it handled users’ search data because the proposed deal provides no benefit to class members.

In a letter to Judge Edward J. Davila, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Consumer Watchdog, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, the Center for Digital Democracy and Patient Privacy Rights said:

“First, the proposed settlement fails to require Google to make any substantive changes to its business practices; second, it provides no monetary relief to the class; and third, the proposed cy pres allocations do not meet the Ninth Circuit’s requirements for alignment with the interests of class members.”

Read the groups’ letter here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/cpo-ltr-judge-davila-re-gaos.pdf

The final fairness hearing in the case, known as the Google Referrer Header Litigation, is before Judge Davaila on Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, CA.

“As the date of the final fairness hearing approaches, we respectfully urge you to address the ‘obvious deficiencies’ we identified in our letter to you last year,” the groups wrote.

Read the groups’ earlier letter here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/epicetal-inregoogle-10-13.pdf

The five consumer privacy groups have also asked the Federal Trade Commission and the California Attorney General to oppose the settlement.

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