Google to Pay $22.5M for Apple Privacy Violations: Hot Trends

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Popular searches on the Internet include Google(GOOG) as the online search engine is expected to pay $22.5 million in fines for violating Apple's(AAPL) users' privacy.

Google is set to near an agreement to pay the settlement, which would bring a U.S. Federal Trade Commission investigation into how it uses its DoubleClick ad network to a close. Earlier this year, a Stanford University student found that Google used the network to follow user activities on the Safari Web browser, found on Apple computers and devices. In a statement, Google said it has taken steps to remove ad cookies from Apple's browsers. These cookies enabled Google to sidestep privacy protections on Safari, and better target advertising at its users.

Google has faced criticism in the past for the way it handles personal information.

Bob Diamond is trending as the former chief executive of Barclays (BCS) will forfeit bonuses worth up to 20 million pounds ($30 million) upon his resignation.

Diamond, who was forced to step down from the company following an interest rate-rigging scandal, has voluntarily decided to forgo the bonuses, according to Barclays Chairman Marcus Agius. Diamond is still expected to receive a year's pay and a cash payment totaling 2 million pounds ($3 million).

Barclays traders were found to have manipulated the London Interbank Offered Rate, or Libor, as far back as 2005, according to the bank. Last month, the company agreed to pay $450 million in fines as a result. Agius stepped down when the scandal came to light, although he has stayed on to find a new chief executive to replace Diamond.

Microsoft(MSFT) is another popular search. The company has agreed to buy multi-touch display-maker Perceptive Pixel. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Perceptive Pixel's large touch-screen display monitors can be used by more than one person at a time. Microsoft plans to sell the monitors, which currently work with Windows 8 and can be connected to computers. The screens currently sell for about $80,000, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who said Microsoft's challenge is to "make that technology more affordable."