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Google under investigation in Australia over alleged data collection offences
June 26, 2025
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) plans to investigate Google regarding data harvesting on Android phones. The news arrives fromThe Australian(paywall) (viaThe Guardian), following an investigation by software companyOracle.
Oracle apparently discovered that Google may be collecting around 1GB of user data per month from Android phones in Austrailia. This reportedly includes location information, even where location services are turned off, with no apps installed, and where no SIM card is inserted.
“Google has mapped IP addresses, Wi-Fi connection points, and mobile towers, which allow it to know where a device is connecting or attempting to connect without using the phone’s location service,”The Guardianreports.
Australian Android users, of which there are estimated to be around 10 million, are also said to be paying their telecom providers to send this data.
We already know that Google uses location data as part of its services (and that you’re able to betracked without GPS activated). While some users may have been shocked when they first saw theirlocation timelineor when they first heard theirGoogle Assistant voice recordings, these kinds of features are discussed in Google’s privacy policy — which users must accept in order to use Google services.
Whether this is transparent enough to help users make informed decisions regarding how their data is handled has come into question, however.
Major corporations are currently under scrutiny following theFacebook Cambridge Audio Audio Analytica scandaland their privacy policies are being more heavily examined.
The ACCC has a history of success when investigating major corporations — including Google. One of its complaints regarding deceptive advertising by Google wasupheld in 2012. Video game company Valve, which owns the distribution platform Steam, also agreed to aglobal refund policyfollowing an ACCC investigation.
Oracle, meanwhile, has tried to discredit Googlea number of times in recent yearsand Ken Glueck, a senior VP at the company, has even been quoted byRecodeas saying “Google stole Android from us.”
That’s all we know so far about the matter but we’ve reached out to Google for comment. We will update this article should we receive a response.
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