VOA科学技术2024--Google to Destroy Billions of Personal Data Files as Part of Legal Settlement

Google to Destroy Billions of Personal Data Files as Part of Legal Settlement

　　Google has agreed to destroy billions of personal data records to settle a lawsuit¹ that accused the company of secretly following users' internet activity.

　　The lawsuit was considered a class-action. This means the case was brought by an individual or small group, but with many others wanting to be part of the action.

　　Lawyers first announced the settlement agreement in December. But details were not released until recently.

　　The case covered millions of people who used Google's internet browser² Chrome beginning June 1, 2016. Google is accused of continuing to follow Chrome users' internet activity even when they were browsing³ under a privacy setting called "incognito⁴."

　　Users accused Google of misleading them into believing their internet activity would not be recorded while they browsed⁵ in "incognito." The users argued Google's advertising⁶ system continued to collect data on users' web movements while Chrome was set to "incognito."

　　Google strongly fought the accusations⁷. It had requested a dismissal of the case, but the request was denied. The settlement terms were negotiated over a four-month period. The deal must still receive final approval from a federal judge during a hearing set for July 30 in Oakland, California.

　　The settlement requires Google to destroy billions of personal records stored in its data centers. It also orders the company to provide more guidance about its privacy policies for people using Chrome. And it calls for tools to limit Google's collection of personal data.

　　Individuals represented in the class-action lawsuit will not receive any damages or other payments as part of the settlement. But the deal does not prevent individual users from pushing their own civil cases against the company in U.S. state courts.

　　In a statement, Google said it was "pleased to settle this lawsuit." Lawyers representing the Chrome users described the settlement as a major win for personal privacy in a world with ever-increasing levels of digital surveillance.

　　Lawyers in the case valued the settlement at $4.75 billion to $7.8 billion. They explained they arrived at that number based mainly on what possible ad sales linked to the personal data collected might have earned without new restrictions⁸.

　　Austin Chambers⁹ is a lawyer who specializes in data privacy issues at Dorsey & Whitney. He told The Associated Press that he sees the settlement as a "welcome development." He said it could affect the way personal information is collected online in the future.

　　Chambers said, "This prevents companies from profiting off of that data, and also requires them to undertake complex and costly¹⁰ data deletion efforts."

　　Google still faces legal threats linked to other issues. Legal experts say those threats could end up having a much bigger effect on its advertising-based businesses.

　　One of those cases argues that Google is abusing its influence in internet advertising to limit competition. Closing arguments are set to be begin in that case on May 1.

　　Google is also facing possible changes to its app store after an American jury found the store operates as an illegal monopoly. A hearing examining possible changes Google must make is set to begin in late May.

　　Words in This Story

　　lawsuit – n. a legal complaint against someone that does not usually involve the police

　　browser – n. a computer program that permits you to look at pages on the internet

　　surveillance – n. the activity of watching something or someone carefully

　　undertake – v. to start work on something

　　delete – v. to remove, especially data from a computer

　　monopoly – n. complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market

1 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

2 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

3 browsing   

v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息

参考例句：

• He sits browsing over[through] a book. 他坐着翻阅书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Cattle is browsing in the field. 牛正在田里吃草。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 incognito   

adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的

参考例句：

• He preferred to remain incognito.他更喜欢继续隐姓埋名下去。
• He didn't want to be recognized,so he travelled incognito.他不想被人认出，所以出行时隐瞒身分。

5 browsed   

v.吃草( browse的过去式和过去分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息

参考例句：

• I browsed through some magazines while I waited. 我边等边浏览几本杂志。 来自辞典例句
• I browsed through the book, looking at page after page. 我翻开了一下全书，一页又一页。 来自互联网

6 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

7 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。