Google's "store sales measurement" tool in the US, which tracks debit and credit card purchases in-store, has come up against privacy concerns from the Electronic Privacy and Information Center (EPIC). EPIC has submitted a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, asking the agency to find out how Google is able to connect in-store shopping with online browsing, which has so far remained secret. The EFF filed its complaint on behalf of two groups that have been tracking data about shoppers' browsing habits for years: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Consumer Watchdog. It said the tool matches "transactions back to Google ads in a secure and privacy-safe way, and … protects your customer data".
Google's "store sales measurement" tool in the US, which tracks debit and credit card purchases in-store, has come up against privacy concerns from the Electronic Privacy and Information Center (EPIC). EPIC has submitted a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, asking the agency to find out how Google is able to connect in-store shopping with online browsing, which has so far remained secret. A Google post in May outlined the tool's benefits to marketers, but did not explain how it collected data. It said the tool matches "transactions back to Google ads in a secure and privacy-safe way, and … protects your customer data".