Two women have sued Google for tracking their locations on their Android phones without consent.
After iPhones were revealed last week to be recording and storing data about users' locations, Google's Android phones were also shown to be performing a similar function--sending the name, location and strength of nearby Wi-Fi networks and a phone identifier back to Google.
"All location sharing on Android is opt-in by the user," a Google spokesperson told All Things D. "We provide users with notice and control over the collection, sharing and use of location in order to provide a better mobile experience on Android devices. Any location data that is sent back to Google location servers is anonymized and is not tied or traceable to a specific user."
The suit, filed on April 27, claims that the phones tracked them "just as if by a tracking device for which a court-ordered warrant would ordinarily be required." Both use HTC Inspire 4G phones.
The plaintiffs are seeking to turn the suit into a class-action lawsuit and want $50 million in damages, as well as a court order to stop Google from tracking users' devices. Apple was sued earlier this week for invasion of privacy and computer fraud.
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