Google has agreed to pay $85 million to the state of Arizona to settle charges that it secretly invades the privacy of Arizonans.
Despite the payout, the company does not admit to claims from the state’s Attorney General Mark Brnovich that its practices of collecting user information violates the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.
At the heart of the case, the attorney general claimed the company collects and stores location data, and makes it difficult for those using Android phones and Google apps to know what information is being sent.
Though Google argued its services don’t violate the act because they are free, the judge said its apps exchange the user’s personal data.
The bulk of the settlement money will be spent on education, broadband and internet privacy efforts.
