A US consumer group asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and block Google 's proposed $3.1 billion purchase of online advertising firm DoubleClick unless the companies improve consumer privacy protections, an Associated Press report said.
The Associated Press report said the complaint, filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), alleges that Google and New York-based DoubleClick collect exhaustive personal information on consumers using the Internet but don't adequately protect the privacy of that information.
Google's acquisition of privately held DoubleClick 'will give one company access to more information about the Internet activities of consumers than any other company in the world,' the complaint from the Washington-based group said.
The Associated Press report further said the complaint cites published reports that claim Google plans to combine its data with DoubleClick's and can track an individual's Internet searches and Web site visits.
DoubleClick said Google would not have access to the data it collects on consumers who view its online ads. That data belongs to clients, DoubleClick said in a prepared statement.
A Google spokesman was not able to immediately comment on the complaint, the report said.
The Associated Press report said the complaint, filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), alleges that Google and New York-based DoubleClick collect exhaustive personal information on consumers using the Internet but don't adequately protect the privacy of that information.
Google's acquisition of privately held DoubleClick 'will give one company access to more information about the Internet activities of consumers than any other company in the world,' the complaint from the Washington-based group said.
The Associated Press report further said the complaint cites published reports that claim Google plans to combine its data with DoubleClick's and can track an individual's Internet searches and Web site visits.
DoubleClick said Google would not have access to the data it collects on consumers who view its online ads. That data belongs to clients, DoubleClick said in a prepared statement.
A Google spokesman was not able to immediately comment on the complaint, the report said.