PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island will receive $230,000 in settlement money from Google Inc., Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin said Monday.
The $230,000 represents a portion of $17 million that Google has promised to turn over to 37 states and the District of Columbia in a legal settlement, according to a release issued by Kilmartin's office.
Google misled users of Apple's Safari web browser during 2011 and 2012, placing cookies on their computers without notifying them or gaining their consent, says the news release.
"Google has the ability to track our online purchases and page views, allowing third parties to target content to specific consumers based on perceived interest and buying habits," Kilmartin said in a news release Monday. "Consumers should feel confident that if they 'opt out' of these types of functions, they are truly opting out and limiting their exposure to who has access to their web history."