Google, Viacom win dismissal of children's web privacy lawsuit

Google and Viacom won the dismissal of a nationwide privacy lawsuit accusing them of illegally tracking the Internet activity of boys and girls who visited Nickelodeon's website, in order to send targeted advertising.

US District Judge Stanley Chesler in Newark, New Jersey found no showing that Google and Viacom could identify which children streamed specific videos or played specific video games, as opposed to identifying children generally. He also found no showing that the companies engaged in "highly offensive" behavior for which they could be held liable.