Epress.am News from Armenia
South Korean police raided Google’s Seoul office on Tuesday, on suspicion the internet search giant illegally collected data from users, BBC reports.
Investigators suspect Google’s mobile advertising agency, AdMob, may have collected information about users’ location without proper consent.
The probe highlights growing worries about the security of personal information gathered online or electronically, especially as mobile devices become more popular.
“We suspect AdMob collected personal location information without consent or approval from the Korean Communication Commission,” a South Korean police official said.
The investigation in South Korea follows news reports that US regulators are considering their own broad probe into Google’s activities.
Google purchased California-based AdMob in 2009, in order to tap the growing business of targeting advertising to users on the go.
According to analysts, users of the iPhone and Android smartphones browse the internet more often than anyone else.