LONDON: Britain’s highest court on Wednesday blocked a $4-billion class action against Google that had accused the company of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users.

The Supreme Court said in a statement that its five judges “unanimously dismisses” the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.4 million people in England and Wales.

The “Google You Owe Us” association had sought compensation of £3 billion ($4 billion, 3.5 billion euros) after accusing the group of secretly tracking iPhone users’ internet activity.

Following its victory, the Internet search giant insisted it remained committed to online safety.

“People want to know that they are safe and secure online, which is why for years we’ve focused on building products and infrastructure that respect and protect people’s privacy,” Google said in a statement.

The “Google You Owe Us” association described the verdict as a “bitter blow” to UK consumers.

A UK court had already dismissed the case in October 2018 but the judgement was overturned by the Court of Appeal, allowing the latest hearing to take place.