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from the free-coffee-and-donut-should-do-it dept.
A while back, we read about how Tim Hortons' app tracked users' movements throughout the day, whether the app was open or not. The tracker noted locations visited, including homes, workplaces, and competing coffee chains.
Now, after an investigation by Canada's privacy commissioner, to resolve a class action lawsuit, Tim Hortons have suggested a settlement:
Tim Hortons says it has reached a proposed settlement in multiple class-action lawsuits alleging the restaurant's mobile app violated customer privacy which would see the restaurant offer a free coffee and doughnut to affected users.
The company says the settlement, negotiated with the legal teams involved in the lawsuits, still requires court approval.
The coffee and doughnut chain says the deal would see eligible app users receive a free hot beverage and baked good.
Tim Hortons says in court documents it would also permanently delete any geolocation information it may have collected between April 1, 2019 and Sept. 30, 2020, and direct third-party service providers to do the same.
One free drink and a donut: We value your privacy (at a couple of bucks)?
Previous story: Tim Hortons Coffee App Broke Law by Constantly Recording Users' Movements
(Score: 1, Troll) by looorg on Tuesday August 02 2022, @02:04PM (1 child)
That is one of the things I'm wondering about. If you accept the free cup of coffee and doughnut then have you not sort of been paid for your service and can no longer complain about it? The coffee and doughnut is your settlement for the violation.
If they wanted to spy on their own citizens they'll just ask friendly Uncle Sam to the south to do it for them. That is what all the cool countries do when they want to spy on them selves. Ask a friend to do it so they can later fake outrage if it gets discovered.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday August 04 2022, @01:31PM
Don't know why you're modded troll. Off topic maybe, since we're talking about corporate spying, and government's aren't usually in the business of selling intelligence to corporations. Buying? Definitely, but not selling.
Other than that though you're absolutely right. Most of the West's major intelligence agencies are banned from spying on their own citizens - and they pretty much all (very much including the US) completely ignore the spirit of the law by spying on each other's citizens and sharing that intelligence with each other.
And yes - accepting the settlement means you have accepted the matter as legally settled, and thus surrendered your right to further *legal* complaints.
Public complaints though are still totally free game, unless the settlement specifically says otherwise.