The Foundation has the support of Consumentenbond, the largest organisation in the Netherlands that stands up for consumers’ interests. With its large member network Consumentenbond advocates for fair, just, and safe markets and combats consumer abuses. Safeguarding consumers’ right to privacy is a high priority on Consumentenbond’s agenda.
The Foundation and Consumentenbond work closely together to advance the interests of the Aggrieved Parties. The Foundation and Consumentenbond formalised their relationship and entered into an exclusive cooperation agreement in 2022. The Foundation and Consumentenbond will endeavour to press Google to change its practices so that it no longer violates users’ rights. In addition, they seek to secure financial compensation for the Aggrieved Parties.
Consumentenbond has taken action against Google before concerning its covert tracking of consumers’ location data, and filed a complaint to stop this conduct. More information about these efforts can be found on its website.
Lemstra Van der Korst N.V. acts as counsel to the Foundation on various legal matters, including advising on possible litigation against Google for its privacy violations.
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn N.V. acts as counsel to the Foundation on substantive law issues involving Google’s privacy violations in the Netherlands.
For the benefit of the Aggrieved Parties, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, the Funder, finances the activities of the Foundation that are related to the legal action against Google. To this effect, the Foundation and the Funder have entered into a funding agreement. The Funder bears the entire financial risk of the Action but does not decide the Foundation’s policy or course of action. The Foundation’s Board operates independently from the Funder. The Funder may assist with inter alia the website operational support, possible contacts with individual Aggrieved Parties, and consultation on substantive matters, only if and to the extent instructed to do so by the Foundation and as such solely within the scope of such instructions. In exchange, the Funder will be eligible to receive compensation, a so-called litigation funding fee. This is payable only if the Foundation receives a recovery in the interests of the Aggrieved Parties. In the event no recovery is obtained, no payment is due to the Funder. For more information, see ‘Aggrieved Parties’.
The Funder has separately entered into an exclusive funding agreement with Consumentenbond, pursuant to which the Funder compensates Consumentenbond for its efforts in the interests of the Aggrieved Parties. As to the Consumentenbond the Funder also does not decide its policy. The Consumentenbond operates independent from the Funder.
The Foundation has mandated Consumentenbond Claimservice B.V. (CCS) to facilitate and establish the registration process, maintenance, and support of your claim. Under the Foundation’s mandate, CCS will collect your personal data on behalf of the Foundation, which will remain responsible for the data. This implies that the Foundation will be the controller and CCS will be the processor on behalf of the Foundation.