Google to expand its privacy settings
Google expanded options for keeping personal information private from online searches.
The company said earlier this week that it will let people request that more types of content such as personal contact information like phone numbers, email and physical addresses be removed from search results.
The new policy also allows the removal of other information that might pose a risk for identity theft, such as confidential log-in credentials.
The company said in a statement that open access to information is vital, “but so is empowering people with the tools they need to protect themselves and keep their sensitive, personally identifiable information private.
“Privacy and online safety go hand in hand. And when you’re using the internet, it’s important to have control over how your
sensitive, personally identifiable information can be found.”
FHA advocates settle lawsuit against Redfin
Fair housing advocates Friday announced a settlement agreement to resolve a lawsuit against real estate brokerage Redfin that will expand housing opportunities for consumers in communities of color in numerous major cities.
Under the agreement, Seattlebased Redfin will change its minimum housing price policy, alter other practices, and pay $4 million to settle the suit brought against it by the National Fair Housing Alliance and nine other fair housing organizations in 2020.
The changes will increase access to Redfin’s real estate services across the country and help counter redlining and residential segregation that NFHA and the other plaintiffs
alleged Redfin’s policies perpetuated. Redlining is a now-illegal practice in which banks would refuse to make home loans to someone because they live in an area deemed to be a poor financial risk.
The lawsuit alleged Redfin’s minimum home price policy violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against sellers and buyers of homes in communities of color. NFHA and the other plaintiffs alleged that policies that limit or deny services for homes priced under certain values can perpetuate racial segregation and contribute to the racial wealth gap.
Redfin said in a statement that it preferred to spend money on advancing fair housing rather than on litigation, and that the settlement was not an admission of liability.