100+ Consumers Planning Action Against Google’s Tracking Further International Cases to Follow

LONDON, February 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Over a hundred people have contacted the law firm that has launched a landmark privacy
case against Google, declaring their wish to join the action in the English courts after
the internet giant circumvented the security settings on Apple’s Safari browser which
allowed it to track online usage covertly.

Less than a week after it was launched in the UK, 106 people have asked the law firm,
Olswang, to bring a case on their behalf. Over 500 people have expressed their concern for
Google’s behaviour by endorsing the Safari Users Against Google’s Secret Tracking Facebook
page created to provide information to people affected. The Facebook page can be found at

http://www.facebook.com/SafariUsersAgainstGooglesSecretTracking

So far, Google has made no comment about the legal action.

The claims centre around tracking cookies, which were secretly installed by Google on
the computers and mobile devices of people using Apple’s Safari internet browser.

The first claimant to issue a letter of claim against Google, 74-year-old Judith
Vidal-Hall, said: “Google can no longer be unaware of the strength of feeling about its
secret tracking but continues to refuse to explain its conduct to consumers. People are
quite rightly outraged that a global company is treating them in this way. We hope anyone
who used Safari and who was covertly targeted by tailored advertising joins this action.”

Through its Doubleclick adverts, Google designed a code to circumvent privacy settings
in order to deposit the cookies on computers which allowed them to provide user-targeted
advertising. The claimants thought that cookies were being blocked on their devices
because of Safari’s strict default privacy settings and separate assurances being given by
Google at the time. This was not the case.

The practice was only stopped when an academic researcher noticed Google’s activity
and published an expose in the United States. Google was subsequently found to be in
violation of an existing order from the US Federal Trade Commission and was fined a record
$22.5million.

Olswang say that this action breached their clients’ confidence and privacy and are
now seeking damages, disclosure and an apology from the company.

Dan Tench, a Partner at Olswang, said: “The volume of requests to take action against
Google should be no surprise given its reach within our society. Consumers tell us they
are determined to hold Google to account. Anyone who used the Safari browser between
September 2011 and February 2012 may have a claim.”

The firm has also received requests from claimants in other European jurisdictions
asking whether similar claims can be brought in other countries. For information on
joining the claim, email safaribreach@olswang.com

Media enquiries: Olswang Press Office on +44(0)20-7067-3046.

SOURCE Olswang LLP