Internet giant Google is being sued by a Texas man who claims that the company breached the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
The lawsuit claims that the way in which Gmail scans the content of email messages to serve targeted ads actually breaks the law.
“Google intercepts and uses the information from non-Gmail account holders without regard to the privacy or proprietary nature of the information,” the complaint states, according to Information Week. “As a result of Google’s actions intercepting non-Gmail account holders’ e-mail, Google obtains a monetary benefit without the consent of the Class members and without compensation to them.”
However, this isn’t the first time someone has complained about this issue and it isn’t likely to cause much strife. Santa Clara University associate professor Eric Goldman has said the issue was dealt with years ago.
“The topic was exhaustively debated when Gmail first publicly launched in 2004,” told IF. “There were numerous calls on government agencies to investigate Google, and Cal. Sen. Figueroa proposed anti-Gmail legislation in the California legislature.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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