Google Package Tracking Lawsuit Alleges Data Sent to Advertisers

Search a tracking number on Google and you'll likely see a "Track your package" widget near the top of your results, complete with a Track button and reassuring text claiming something like "Only your tracking number will be sent to UPS." A new class action lawsuit alleges that reassurance was false.

According to the complaint, clicking Track for a UPS package triggered 415 separate network requests to at least 28 different domains. The lawsuit claims this process shared identifiers, cookies, your IP address, browser information, and frequently the tracking number itself with companies including Meta (Facebook), Google's DoubleClick and Google Analytics, Adobe, Microsoft Bing, Quantum Metric, The Trade Desk, Yahoo, and Tealium. It further alleges that a session-recording tool embedded on the UPS site tracked your screen activity, mouse movements, and keystrokes as they happened.

The stakes are higher than they might seem, the suit argues, because a tracking number alone can expose a surprising amount: the recipient's name, the locations of both sender and recipient, the shipment's full history, and whether the delivery address is a private residence. Plaintiffs claim this information was used to build user profiles, sort people into advertising audiences, and serve targeted ads, generating profit for both Google and UPS in the process.

The proposed class would include anyone who used the widget and clicked or tapped Track. Notably, the class definition isn't limited to UPS shipments, even though UPS is the only carrier named as a defendant; FedEx and USPS also integrate with the same widget but haven't been sued.

The lawsuit brings five legal claims: invasion of privacy, intrusion upon seclusion, wiretapping violations under California privacy law, fraud or misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment. Plaintiffs are seeking compensatory, statutory, punitive, and nominal damages, along with restitution, disgorgement of profits tied to the alleged practice, a court order halting it, and attorneys' fees. A jury trial has also been requested.