2 hrs ago
EU Fines Google $462 Million Over Location Data Breach
A European privacy regulator fined Google $462 million.
The regulator said Google did not properly handle people’s location information.
The alleged problems happened between May 2018 and February 2020.
The data came from web and app activity and location history.
Officials said some people might not have understood how their location was being used.
They said the information could help influence advertisements or guess users’ interests.
Officials also said Google kept some location data longer than necessary.
Google was given six months to change its practices, but it had not immediately commented.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined Google €403 million, equivalent to $462 million.
The regulator said Google breached the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation between May 2018 and February 2020.
The alleged violations involved the lawfulness and fairness of processing location data from web and app activity and location history.
The regulator said users may not have known their location data could influence advertisements or reveal their interests.
Google was ordered to bring its data processing into compliance within six months; it did not immediately respond.
- Who
- Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined Google under European Union data-protection rules.
- What
- Google was fined €403 million, or $462 million, for alleged breaches involving users’ location data.
- Where
- The decision was issued by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission on behalf of the European Union.
- When
- The alleged violations occurred between May 2018 and February 2020; the final decision was announced Monday.
- Why
- The regulator found problems with the lawfulness and fairness of Google’s processing and retention of location data.
Key facts
- Fine
- €403 million ($462 million)
- Regulator
- Ireland’s Data Protection Commission
- Rules involved
- European Union General Data Protection Regulation
- Affected data
- Location data from web and app activity and location history
- Relevant period
- May 2018 to February 2020
- Compliance deadline
- Six months
- Google response
- Google did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment
Quotes
Ireland's Data Protection Commission
Irish data protection regulator acting under EU data-protection rules
“as a result of Google's failures... individuals could have been unaware that their location was being used to, for example, influence them with ads or to infer their interests”
deccanchronicle.com
“the retention of users' location data for longer than necessary aggravated this loss of control”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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