In order to pay the fine, Google will check the pockets in its pants and find several million there. This was the case where Google was taking shortcuts around the tracking features built into Apple’s Safari browser. The Wall Street Journal, which covers other streets as well, is reporting that a 22.5 million dollar settlement is on the way.
The current charges involve Google’s use of special computer code to trick Apple’s Safari Web-browsing software into letting it monitor users that had blocked such tracking. Google disabled the code after being contacted by the Journal, which wrote about Google’s practices in February.
Google officials say tracking of Apple users was inadvertent and didn’t cause any harm to consumers. But Google’s actions appeared to contradict previous statements it had made assuring Apple users that they could rely on Safari’s privacy settings to block unwanted tracking.
The amount is expected to be the largest fine ever given by the FTC to a private company. It also represents a dollar figure Google can make in about five hours.
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