Google Pixel 4
64 GB, Clearly White, 5.70", SIM + eSIM, 16 Mpx, 4G
Misleading advertising for Pixel phones: Google fined
16/5/2023
Translation: machine translated
Google must pay eight million US dollars in fines to the FTC. This is due to misleading radio adverts. The company has confessed.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), together with seven states, has sued Google for misleading advertising https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/11/ftc-states-sue-google-iheartmedia-deceptive-ads-promoting-pixel-4-smartphone. The reason for this: misleading radio adverts for the Pixel 4, which aired between 2019 and 2020 with demonstrably fabricated statements about the Pixel 4.
The charges were brought last year and the judgement has now been announced: Google must pay an eight million US dollar fine. This concludes the case, Google is no longer appealing the judgement but has agreed to it.
Invented reviews and prevention
The charges were based on scripts provided by Google to radio employees from the US radio station iHeartMedia. The employees had to read out statements about the Pixel 4 which suggested that they were allowed to test the devices. However, this was not the case; Google did not allow employees to test the devices before they went on sale. These "reviews" were broadcast 29,000 times.
Among other things, the following scripted statements were announced on the radio at the time: "I think the Pixel 4's smartphone camera is the best, especially in low light, thanks to the night vision mode" and "I've used the Pixel 4 to take studio-quality photos of everything, my son's football game, a meteor shower, a rare owl that landed in my backyard."
In addition, these adverts were not always clearly labelled as advertising.
According to the FTC, the main purpose of the fine is to prevent the company from producing such misleading adverts in the future. The Commission writes:
The FTC will not stop working with our state partners to crack down on deceptive advertising and ensure that companies that violate the rules pay a price.
Google turned over 279.81 billion US dollars in 2022. It remains to be seen how much of an impact the eight million fine will have.
Cover image: Shutterstock / Sundry Photography
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.