Google will settle US charges for $22.5 million for privacy violations regarding the tracking of Safari users through cookies.

The fine from the US Federal Trade Commission ranks as the largest ever handed down.

Google falsely told Safari users that it would not create tracking cookies within their software or place targeted ads on their browsers.

Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC, said: “No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to consumers, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place."