UH-OH

Google Hit With New Privacy Probes

Over Safari tracker, potential govt. violation.

Looks like Google's Safari Tracker could embroil the search giant in some long and costly legal battles. Regulators in the U.S. and EU are investigating Google's admission that it was using code to bypass privacy settings on Apple's Safari Web browser. The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly looking into whether Google's Safari tracker violated its agreement with the government not to "misrepresent" its privacy policy. Last month, the company was found to be using a special code to install little tracking files, or cookies, on some people's computers and other wireless devices, though some of the cookies were inadvertently tracking users' browsers. "We will of course cooperate with any officials who have questions," a Google spokeswoman said. "But it's important to remember that we didn't anticipate this would happen, and we have been removing these advertising cookies from Safari browsers."