Google is no stranger to privacy concerns, yet it could well find itself in trouble with the latest scandal to emerge over the way it handles its customer’s data. It’s been revealed that the internet giant regularly shares users’ personal information without obtaining their permission.

Consumer Watchdog, the non-profit consumer advocacy group, is reported to have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, urging it to take action following Google’s latest goof-up.

This call for action comes after Consumer Watchdog discovered that Google is illegally providing app developers with personal information about the people that buy their apps from its Google Play store, without warning consumers it does so.

The advocacy group has warned that Google could be liable to pay billions of dollars in fines for violating its privacy policy, which stipulates that it won’t hand out user’s data in this fashion.

John M. Simpson of the Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project called on the FTC to take a tough stance against Google:

“Google has become a serial privacy abuser and the FTC must change its tactics to curb the Internet giant’s abuses. Google’s wanton disregard for its obligations under the law demonstrate the need for meaningful penalties – in this case a fine in the billions of dollars.”

Australian app developer Dan Nolan confirmed Google’s carefree handling of its customer’s data in a blog post, writing that “If you bought the app on Google Play (even if you cancelled the order) I have your email address, your suburb, and in many instances your full name.”

“Let me make this crystal clear: every App purchase you make on Google Play gives the developer your name, suburb and email address with no indication that this information is actually being transferred,” says Nolan.

Nolan goes on to warn of the dangers that allowing developers unfettered access to this kind of information could have, saying that it would easily be possible for him to “track down and harass” users that have left negative reviews of his app. Consumer Watchdog goes further, explaining in its letter to the FTC that many of the apps in Google Play deal with very sensitive personal subjects to do with people’s sexual activity and health conditions, and Google willingly gives up these people’s identities.

It’s well known that Google does give out some of its user’s personal information under other circumstances, for example with its advertising program, but in these situations the Silicon Valley giant is supposed to warn users that it intends to do so. With Google Play that simply isn’t the case.

Ben Edelman, associate professor at the Harvard Business School, explains in an interview with the Guardian that nowhere in Google Play’s privacy policy does it explicitly state that user’s email and other details will be passed on to developers. Edelman warns that the issue isn’t going to do the company any favors:

“Google’s prior privacy blunders have put [it] under higher scrutiny,” explains Edelman, before adding that Google recently agreed to a 20-year consent order with the FTC.

That agreement was penned following a previous incident with the failed Google Buzz, in which Google gathered data from its users and integrated it with its social networking platform without informing them. At the time the deal was made, FTC Chairman John Leibowitz insisted that “This is a tough settlement that ensures that Google will honor its commitments to consumers and build strong privacy protections into all of its operations.”