The US$22.5 million civil penalty is the largest ever secured by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for a violation of one of its orders, .

However, ConsumerWatchdog.org finds the settlement inadequate for various reasons, including the amount of the fine and the fact that it allows Google to deny guilt and liability.

The fine amount is "chump change" for Google, and the FTC shouldn't have agreed to a settlement unless Google was willing to make an admission of guilt, said John Simpson, director of the privacy project at ConsumerWatchdog.org.

"This is letting Google buy its way out of trouble," he said.

The consent decree states that "Defendant denies any violation of the FTC Order, any and all liability for the claims set forth in the Complaint, and all material allegations of the Complaint save for those regarding jurisdiction and venue."