of the potential risks for hearing loss , patients who were not warned of this risk in the past may be able to take legal action for their hearing loss and related injuries . Patients may not have chosen Tepezza treatment if they had known about the risks for hearing loss , but they were unable to make an informed choice because they were not warned of these risks for years before the 2023 label change .
Google faces several lawsuits , agrees to settlements in others
Consumers recently targeted Google with a pair of lawsuits , and the company reached a pair of settlement agreements . A judge dismissed another complaint against the company , and a separate lawsuit achieved class certification .
A California couple recently filed a lawsuit against Google , claiming Google Maps directed them to drive through a dangerous part of Cape Town , South Africa , leading to a violent assault and robbery .
The couple argues Google Maps failed to warn them when it directed them to drive into an area they claim Google knows is unsafe for tourists . “ Google could have easily programmed Google Maps to avoid directing travelers into the dangerous routes and to provide real time notification of the hazards ,” the lawsuit states .
Another consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Google and Adam & Eve owner PHE Inc . last month , arguing the adult e-commerce company shared the private and protected sexual information of individuals who visited the website with Google .
86 x The Trial Lawyer
The consumer claims neither Google nor Adam & Eve obtained consent to share the information .
“ When Plaintiff used Defendant ’ s Website , information that revealed her Private and Protected Sexual Information and IP address was provided to Google without notifying her and without her consent ,” the Adam & Eve class action states .
Google agreed to a settlement to resolve claims it infringed on patents Singular Computing , a hardware and software technology company , owns when developing its artificial intelligence programs .
Singular sought damages between $ 1.63 and $ 5.19 billion . The financial terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed in a notice announcing the agreement .
Google argued it did not need to use Singular ’ s patented technology for any of its products or programs , while the latter claimed Google infringed on its patent involving machine learning .
In late December , Google agreed to a settlement to resolve claims the company covertly tracked the Internet searches of Chrome Incognito users who believed they were anonymously searching with the browser .
The plaintiffs sought $ 5 billion in damages when filing their complaint against the company in June 2020 , arguing Google collected their data even when they browsed in private mode .
Terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed . The judge overseeing the complaint fined Google $ 79,000 last April for failing to meet discovery deadlines for a second time .
Amazon Ring will no longer allow police to request videos
Amazon Ring announced it will no longer allow public safety agencies like police or fire departments to use its Request for Assistance ( RFA ) tool to request and receive video in the company ’ s Neighbors app .
In a blog post published Jan . 24 , Ring says the agencies can use the app to post safety tips , updates and community events , but it is “ sunsetting ” the RFA tool that allowed them to request doorbell footage from users .
The decision comes in the wake of concerns lobbied by privacy watchdogs about the company ’ s relationship with local police departments , AP News reports .
Ring reportedly changed its policy in 2021 so any police requests would be publicly visible in its Neighbors app , a switch from law enforcement being allowed to request video footage through private emails to Ring users living near an active investigation .
Law enforcement agencies will reportedly still be able to access Ring footage using a search warrant , and the company maintains the right to share footage without obtaining consent under certain circumstances , according to AP News .
Ring ’ s announcement also comes more than a year after it responded to a letter written by Sen . Ed Markey ( D-Mass .) to inquire how the company protects the data privacy of Ring doorbell camera users .
“ Notably , reports indicate that multiple police departments have attempted to bypass Ring ’ s video request process , including by gaining direct access to user footage in real time ,”