Federal court speeds up case over Google privacy policy

By Jessica Guynn

Feb. 9, 2012 12 AM PT

A federal court has agreed to speed up a case that could delay the rollout of Google’s new privacy policy.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center, a privacy watchdog, is suing the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over the controversial new policy, which it says will allow the Internet search giant to harvest more information about Google’s users in violation of a settlement it struck with federal regulators last year.

The court gave the FTC until Feb. 17 to respond to two briefs EPIC filed Wednesday. EPIC is required to respond by Feb. 21.

Google’s new privacy policy is set to take effect March 1.

The FTC argued in court Thursday that EPIC’s claims were without merit.

“We are very pleased that the court has agreed to consider the issues raised in the EPIC briefs and that there will be an opportunity to assess these matters prior to the March 1 deadline,” said Marc Rotenberg, EPIC’s executive director.

A Google spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.

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