A consumer has taken legal action against Adam and Eve, a leading sex toy retailer, alleging a serious breach of privacy. The complaint accuses the company of sharing sensitive purchase data, including her interest in specific sex toys, with tech giant Google without her consent.

The plaintiff referred to as “Jane Doe” in the legal documents, spearheads a class action suit that spotlights Adam and Eve’s alleged misuse of Google Analytics. The retailer, known for its wide range of adult toys and accessories, reportedly failed to activate a key privacy safeguard within the analytics service that masks users’ IP addresses, potentially exposing intimate details of their shopping habits.

According to the lawsuit, Adam and Eve neglected to anonymize visitor IP addresses and informed Google of Doe’s browsing and purchasing activities. This included her searches for “lesbian toys,” “women’s sex toys,” and specific products like the “Kingcock Strap-on Harness With 8-Inch Dildo” and “Pink Jelly Slim Dildo.”

Doe’s legal challenge centers around the claim that her “sexual preferences, sexual orientation, sexual practices, sexual fetishes, sex toy preferences, lubricant preferences, and search terms” were disclosed to Google. This action, she argues, constitutes an egregious violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), which strictly prohibits the unauthorized sharing of personal information with third parties.

The lawsuit asserts that the combined browsing history data and IP address could enable Google to identify individuals, accusing both Adam and Eve and Google of an “outrageous invasion of privacy” and seeking damages of $5,000 per alleged violation under CIPA.

In response to the allegations, a spokesperson from Google emphasized the company’s stringent policies against collecting personally identifiable information through Google Analytics. They further clarified that it is the responsibility of site owners to collect data responsibly and transparently communicate their privacy practices to users.

The lawsuit seeks to represent all California residents who have used Adam and Eve’s website to purchase adult products, with potential damages amounting to a substantial sum given the retailer’s popularity and the state’s large population.

Founded in 1970 as a mail-order condom service by Phil Harvey and Timothy Black, Adam and Eve has a storied history of challenging societal norms and legal boundaries related to adult products. Despite facing legal scrutiny and a federal raid in the 1980s, the company has become a prominent online retailer in the adult entertainment industry.

As the lawsuit progresses, it highlights critical concerns about online privacy and protecting sensitive consumer data in the digital age. Adam and Eve have yet to respond publicly to the allegations.