Observed Signal · Apr 8, 2021 · Regulation · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Lawsuit: Android Users Illegally Monitored
Max Schrems and the privacy group NOYB have filed a lawsuit in France alleging that Google illegally monitors Android users by generating an Android Advertising ID (AAID) to enable personalized advertising. The complaint states that AAID is created without users’ knowledge or explicit consent and can be read by Google and third parties, such as app developers and advertisers, to track behavior and infer preferences. This tracking is said to violate EU privacy rules, including the e-Privacy Directive’s Article 5(3) requiring informed consent. NOYB also claims Google prevents Android users from deleting the AAID, offering only a reset that creates a new ID but does not erase prior data or stop ongoing tracking. Schrems, honorary chair of NOYB, has previously challenged data regimes like Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield. If the case is admitted, Google could face significant legal and regulatory pressure in Europe.
Regulatory/privacy scrutiny: EU litigation against Google over AAID tracking.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- NOYB and Max Schrems filed a lawsuit in France against Google over Android AAID tracking.
- Google generates AAID for all Android users to enable personalized ads.
- The complaint alleges AAID is created without user knowledge or explicit consent.
- AAID can be read by Google and third parties to track behavior and target ads.
- AAID deletion is not possible; only reset creates a new ID, not erasing past data.
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