Wisconsin is set to receive more than $300,000 in a $17 million lawsuit settlement after Google came under fire for misleading Safari browser users for changing the default privacy settings without users’ knowledge or consent.

In the settlement agreement with Wisconsin and 35 other states, Wisconsin is set to receive $336,088.06.

Dana Brueck, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice, said in an email to The Badger Herald users’ privacy was violated when Google did not ask consent from Safari users about tracking their information.

In a statement released Monday, the DOJ said Google changed its DoubleClick coding from June 2011 to February 2012 to bypass default privacy settings on Safari. Google’s DoubleClick platform is an advertising strategy that sets third party cookies on internet browsers and gathers information from consumers.

“Google’s representations about its privacy settings were misleading to Safari users because it suggested, in its description of the advertising cookie opt-out plug-in, that they would not receive third-party cookies, when Google subsequently took steps to circumvent Safari’s default settings for the purpose of setting third-party cookies,” Brueck said.

In the statement from the DOJ, Google has agreed to not override a browser’s cookie blocking settings without the consumer’s consent unless it is necessary to prevent fraud, security or technical issues.

Google also agreed to improve the information about cookies it provides users and maintain systems used for the expiration of third-party cookies on the Safari browser in the settlement.

“By circumventing Safari’s default settings, Google placed cookies on the computers of Safari users without the consumers’ knowledge or consent.  The state alleged that Google’s representations that third-party cookies were blocked for Safari users was misleading, thereby violating Wisconsin’s consumer protection statutes,” Brueck said.