Google has lost its attempt to get the lawsuit alleging it bypassed settings in Apple’s Safari web browser thrown out of a UK court.
A British group that calls itself “Safari Users Against Google’s Secret Tracking” accused the firm of bypassing security settings in Apple’s web browser to track their online activities and target them with personalised advertisements.
Judith Vidal-Hall, Robert Hann and Marc Bradshaw, who all use Apple’s Safari browser, last week won the right for the High Court to hear their claim.
Google argued that the High Court in London did not have jurisdiction to hear the case and said it should instead be heard in California.
The claimants accuse Google of bypassing security settings in order to track their online browsing and target them with adverts.
Justice Tugendhat, sitting in the High Court, ruled that the courts were the ‘appropriate jurisdiction’ to try their claims.
A group spokesman said: ‘The Google argument that any trial should take place in California has not been accepted by the judge.’
They say Google’s ‘clandestine’ tracking and collation of internet usage between summer 2011 and spring 2012 has led to distress and embarrassment among UK users.
They argued in court that Google’s bid to block a trial was ‘misconceived’ and the company should ‘answer to British justice’.
They are accusing Google of misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breaking data protection laws.
No date has yet been set for the full hearing.