Sens Cortez Masto (D-NV), Klobuchar (D-MN) Express Concern Over Google's Decision to Delay Notifying Consumers of Serious Data Breach

Sen Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) joined Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in sending a letter to Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, expressing serious concerns about reports that Google waited six months before notifying the public of a data breach that exposed the private information of nearly 500,000 users participating in the Google+ social media network. “Despite Google’s assertions that 'none of the thresholds were met' to require notifications of such a breach, internal memos reviewed by the Wall Street Journal indicate Google’s leadership was aware of the seriousness of this issue and made a conscious, overt decision to keep this data exposure a secret," the Sens wrote. "As we have heard in testimony from privacy advocates and members of industry alike, it is time for Congress to act. As Congress considers enacting a federal privacy law, platforms like Google must do more to restore trust with consumers regarding the security of their data and how it is being used.”