Lawsuit seeks to block Google's privacy changes

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A consumer watchdog group is suing the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to prevent Google from making sweeping changes to its privacy policies next month.

The planned revisions would enable Google to bundle the personal information gathered by its Internet search engine and other services so the company can gain a better understanding of its users and potentially sell more advertising.

But the Electronic Privacy Information Center contends Google's policy switch will violate restrictions imposed in an agreement reached with the FTC last year. A lawsuit filed Wednesday by the group is trying to force FTC to enforce those rules. The complaint also is seeking a court order to block Google's policy changes from taking effect March 1.

European regulators already have asked Google to delay the policy changes.

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