Google Streaming Services Illegally Retain Video History, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action alleges Google's video-streaming services, Google TV, Google Play, and YouTube, unlawfully retain consumers' video rental history and personal information.

The 12-page case claims that Google has violated a Minnesota privacy law by maintaining digital records of consumers' video rental history and account information, "such as their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and billing addresses."

According to the lawsuit, Google holds its users' sensitive data indefinitely, even though Minnesota law, like the federal Video Privacy Protection Act, requires “video rental companies” to destroy personally identifiable information "as soon as practicable," or a maximum of one year after "the information is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected."

Per the complaint, a consumer must create a Google account to stream videos, disclosing in the process personal information such as their name, email address, billing address, and payment data. The case relays that "any time a user interacts with the Services [Google TV, Google Play, YouTube], his or her activities are logged with the associated Google account."

Videos on Google streaming services expire either 30 days after purchase or 48 hours after they are viewed, the filing says. The case alleges that even after a video purchase expires, Google illegally retains a consumer’s personal data about the video "indefinitely," despite having "no purpose for retaining the video rental information."

The plaintiff, a Minnesota resident, contends that their Google Play account still displays their video viewing history dating back to 2018 and the price they paid for each purchase. The complaint alleges that Google continues to store the sensitive information of thousands of consumers throughout Minnesota.

The lawsuit looks to cover Minnesota residents with Google accounts who rented a video using one of Google's video-streaming services.

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