Internet search engine Google will admit that it has made mistakes on privacy issues in testimony an executive of the Alphabet unit will deliver to a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday, Reuters reported.



“We acknowledge that we have made mistakes in the past, from which we have learned, and improved our robust privacy program,” Google chief privacy officer Keith Enright will say in written testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee.

Google will testify alongside AT&T, Amazon.com, Apple and other companies amid growing concerns about data privacy.

Google’s written testimony did not identify specific prior mistakes but the company has come under fire for privacy issues.

Google in 2012 agreed to pay $22.5 million civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it misrepresented to Apple Safari Internet browser users that it would not place tracking cookies or serve them targeted ads.

Google in 2011 agreed to an FTC privacy settlement and regular privacy audits for 20 years after the government charged it used deceptive tactics and violating consumer privacy promises when it launched its social network, Google Buzz.

Alphabet in August 2018 was sued and accused of illegally tracking movements of millions of iPhone and Android phone users even when they use a privacy setting to prevent it.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it was seeking comments on how to set nationwide data privacy rules in the wake of tough new requirements adopted by the European Union and California.

The Justice Department said it held a listening session with state attorneys general on how the government can safeguard consumers online.

Congress has questions about how internet companies sell advertising and use data from email accounts or other services.

Breaches of data privacy have compromised personal information of millions of U.S. internet and social media users, including breaches at retailers and credit reporting agency Equifax.

Enright’s testimony says “with advertising, as with all our products, users trust us to keep their personal information confidential and under their control. We do not sell personal information.”

Andrew DeVore, an Amazon vice president, will tell the committee that new European privacy rules required us to divert significant resources to administrative and record-keeping tasks and away from inventing new features for customers.

Twitter data protection officer Damien Kieran will urge development of a robust privacy framework that protects individuals’ rights, while preserving the freedom to innovate.

The Internet Association, which represents more than 40 internet and technology companies, said this month it backed modernizing data privacy rules with a national approach that would pre-empt California data privacy regulations taking effect in 2020.

According to the European Union General Data Protection Regulation, breaking privacy laws can result in fines of up to 4 percent of global revenue or 20 million euros or $23.2 million, whichever is higher.