Consumer Watchdog has opposed the $22.5 million settlement between Google and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the search giant’s user privacy violations on Apple’s Safari web browser.

The consumer advocacy group filed a motion for the right to oppose the FTC agreement with Google in US District Court.

Consumer Watchdog thinks the unsatisfactory deal allows Google to dispute that it breached a past privacy consent agreement.

“The Commission is proposing to let Google to buy its way out of trouble for an amount that is less than the company spends on lunches for its employees and with no admission it did anything wrong,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project director.

“Corporations need to be held accountable when they willfully violate a consent agreement.”

The motion will give Consumer Watchdog authorization to present legal briefs that are against the “friend-of-the-court status” settlement.

The guardian also requests a hearing on the settlement and approval to show up on the at the proceeding.

Consumer Watchdog finds Google’s $22.5 million settlement with the FTC minuscule, and looks to cover up Google’s past privacy violations throughout the launch of Buzz, Google’s social networking system that disclosed users’ personal data and shuttered as a consequence.

The organization says the FTC settlement allows Google to “deny violation of the Buzz Consent Agreement”.

“Google hacked past a key privacy setting on Iphones and Ipads and other devices using Apple’s Safari browser, placed tracking cookies on them and then lied, saying the settings were still effective,” added Simpson.

“Clearly it violated its agreement with the FTC.”

More:

Google Pays $22.5 Million Record Fine for Tracking Apple Safari Users

Source: Consumer Watchdog Filing (PDF)

Image: peter palander via Flickr (CC)

About Francis Rey Balolong

A coffee junkie who spends most of his time writing about the latest news on social media and mobile technology. I would definitely consider myself a nerd (in the coolest most hipster way possible). That being said, I love technology, music, writing, and all things mobile. Follow me: Google+ Twitter

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