A lawsuit has apparently been filed against Google by a Massachusetts woman for information gathered by emails sent by those with and without gmail accounts for the purposes of targeted advertising.
“In order to target advertisements to Gmail users.. Google intercepts electronic communications to and from Gmail users with a device, without prior consent of the non-Gmail users,” the lawsuit states.
Debra Marquis, the woman who initiated the lawsuit, has apparently filed the class action suite on behalf of the Massachusetts residents who do not have a Gmail account and have sent emails to those who do. Marquis claims that those who had sent emails from non-gmail accounts never consented to having their emails scanned. Marquis also states that Google is in violation of Massachusetts’ wiretapping law with its actions.
Marquis, who apparently uses AOL, wants punitive and monetary damages of $100 per day for each violation Google makes, or just $1,000, whatever comes out to be greater. Marquis also wants an injunction to stop Google from targeted advertising due to the violation of Massachusett’s wiretapping law.
Google responded by saying, We’re not going to comment on the ongoing litigation. But to be clear, Gmail has from the beginning used automated scanning technology to show our users relevant advertisements that help to keep our services free.”
This is not the first time we have heard about a possible privacy issue with the targeted advertising. Microsoft recently held an event called the Microsoft Global Exchange sales conference. At this conference, one of the attendees managed to snag a very special and funny sales video that pokes fun at Google’s Gmail, especially about targeted advertising.
