Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that search engine giant Google had been tracking "cookies" on Google sites for Apple Safari users and sending targeted ads to those users.
"No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to users, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place," Leibowitz said in a statement.
But the fine is a mere drop in the bucket for Google, which is worth more than $200 billion and made $12.2 billion in revenue last quarter.
In 2011, Google signed a 20-year agreement with the FTC that included a pledge not to "mislead" users about privacy issues.
"No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to users, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place," Leibowitz said in a statement.
But the fine is a mere drop in the bucket for Google, which is worth more than $200 billion and made $12.2 billion in revenue last quarter.
In 2011, Google signed a 20-year agreement with the FTC that included a pledge not to "mislead" users about privacy issues.