**California Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Google Over Facial Recognition**
A California judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Google alleging that the company violated state law by collecting and storing facial recognition data without consent.
The lawsuit, filed in 2020 by the San Francisco City Attorney, alleged that Google violated the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) by collecting and storing facial recognition data from people without their knowledge or consent.
The CMIA prohibits the collection and storage of medical information without consent, and the lawsuit alleged that facial recognition data is a type of medical information because it can be used to identify and track individuals.
Google argued that facial recognition data is not medical information, and that the CMIA does not apply to the company’s collection and storage of such data.
The judge agreed with Google, finding that facial recognition data is not medical information under the CMIA.
The judge also found that Google had not violated the CMIA because the company had obtained consent from users to collect and store their facial recognition data.
The lawsuit is one of several that have been filed against Google over its facial recognition technology.
In 2021, the company settled a class-action lawsuit over its use of facial recognition technology in Google Photos.
Google has also been criticized by privacy advocates for its use of facial recognition technology in its Nest smart home products.
The company has defended its use of facial recognition technology, saying that it is a valuable tool for security and convenience.
However, privacy advocates argue that facial recognition technology is a threat to privacy and that it should be regulated more strictly.
The dismissal of the lawsuit against Google is a setback for privacy advocates, but it is not clear whether it will have a significant impact on the company’s use of facial recognition technology.
Google is still facing other lawsuits over its use of facial recognition technology, and it is possible that a different court could reach a different conclusion about whether facial recognition data is medical information under the CMIA.
It is also possible that the California legislature could amend the CMIA to make it clear that facial recognition data is medical information.
Regardless of the outcome of these lawsuits, it is clear that the use of facial recognition technology is a controversial issue that is likely to continue to be debated for years to come..
