Google will pay a $22.5 million fine for allegedly violating privacy policies by tracking millions of internet users through Apple's Safari browser.
Although the fine has not officially been approved by the Federal Trade Commission, if it is agreed upon, the $22.5 million punishment would be the single biggest penalty the agency has ever placed on a company.
Although Google refuses to admit to any wrongdoing, the company is not too worried about the potential payoff, as the company currently has a bank account that reaches $49 billion and is expected to bring in close to $46 billion this year.
Google assured that the tracking device placed into the Safari browser did not store people's personal information and added in a statement on Tuesday, "We do set the highest standards of privacy and security for our users."
The FTC began investigating Google earlier this year after a Stanford University researcher publically revealed that Google Inc. had bypassed Safari safeguards, which are used to block third parties from seeing what online users are surfing.
The tracking was done through internet computer coding "cookies" that help advertisers cater their marketing to users based on web surfing activity.
After the researcher exposed Google, the company quickly removed the technology from Safari.
The fine "sends a strong message about the seriousness of Google's wanton and egregious privacy violation," said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's privacy project.
By forcing Google to pay such a large amount for its slipup, the FTC may be trying to make a point that it will now be even more alert on privacy violations.
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