Flickr Users Advance Google Privacy Suit Over IBM Photo Database

Google LLC failed to defeat a proposed class action alleging the tech giant used a database of photos compiled by International Business Machines Corp. from the Flickr photo-sharing website, in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

Lead plaintiffs Steven Vance and Tim Janecyk adequately pleaded that Google collected their biometric information from the database without obtaining their informed consent as required under BIPA, Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the US District Court for the Northern District of California said Thursday.

Labson also allowed a claim of unjust enrichment to survive, but denied their claim that Google illegally profited ...