From DailyTech: Three disgruntled users of Google Inc.'s (GOOG) mobile Android operating system must be none too happy with their lawyers, who managed to scuttle their federal class action privacy lawsuit against Google in the most bizarre of turns.
Robert DeMars of Calif., Michael Goldberg of Ohio, and Scott McCullough of New Jersey first filed the suit back in June 2012. The suit dealt with the major shift in Google's privacy policy that occurred in March 2012. Prior to that, Google had maintained separate databases of user information for each of its products.
But starting in spring of 2012, Google put forth a new set of privacy terms that allowed it to mix its data across multiple platforms, including its ubiquitous search self-titled search engine, its popular Gmail email client/service, and across the wold's most used smartphone platform, Android. Unhappy with the impact that would have on their privacy, the trio filed their claims and consolidated them into a federal suit in Calif. seekd consumer class action status.
The suit was also tied to controversial tactics Google was using to mine user data into its cross-platform database, including circumventing security settings in Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) Safari browser. That tactic led to a probe of Google by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC would eventually accept a settlement that some analysts likened to "a slap on the wrist" -- a mere $22.5M USD fine.
The lawyer duo appeared not to take his previous ruling previously. Not only did they add on new privacy related claims, but they basically abandoned the sole claims Judge Grewal had told them they could pursue -- the battery life and data usage angles. Judge Grewal was even taken aback.
Thus Judge Grewal completely dismissed the case. This time there's no chance of a fourth revival. The privacy class action suit is dead.
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