Google Slammed with €403m Fine Over Location Data Abuse

Google has been fined €403m by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) for its use of location data. The tech giant was accused of manipulating users into agreeing to be constantly tracked on their mobile phones.

The DPC launched an inquiry in 2018 after complaints from seven European consumer organisations that Google was using location data without a valid legal basis.

The investigation found that Google users could have been unaware that their location was being used to influence them with adverts or to gather details about their health and interests.

Graham Doyle, deputy commissioner at the DPC, said: 'Location data can bring both benefits and harms to individuals. It can greatly enhance the utility of online services, but it can also reveal a significant amount of information about an individual, including information that is inherently private.'