Illinois residents who have appeared in a photograph on the Google Photos app within the last seven years may be eligible to receive a portion of a $100 million settlement.
A lawsuit alleged Google’s face grouping tool, which sorts faces in the app by similarity, is in violation of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, or BIPA. The law, enacted in 2008, requires companies to get user consent for the use of such technologies.
Ed Yohnka, director of communications and public policy with the ACLU of Illinois, said the state has one of the most stringent biometric privacy laws in the country.
“The use of biometric information has expanded across the world,” said Yohnka. “Illinois has been a place that has really protected the privacy of individuals who live here.”
Google did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which resolves a group of lawsuits filed by five plaintiffs.
If a final order is approved in the case, Illinoisans who appeared in a photograph in Google Photos between May 1, 2015, and the date of the settlement’s preliminary approval would be able to take part in the deal.
A Google spokesperson said Google Photos users in Illinois will be prompted to provide opt-in consent to face grouping in the coming weeks, and will expand nationwide soon after.
More here.
Related: “As Facebook deletes more than a billion users’ face templates, Illinoisans still waiting on payout”
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