Google Slapped with €400 Million Fine for Breaching GDPR Rules

Google has been slapped with a massive fine of over €400 million for violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. The penalty was handed down by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), which had launched an investigation into Google's processing of location data back in 2018.

The inquiry focused on how Google used web and app activity, location history, and location accuracy to influence users with targeted ads between May 25, 2018, and February 4, 2020. The DPC found that Google had breached the GDPR's rules on transparency and user control over their personal data.

The regulator imposed administrative fines totaling €403 million and ordered Google to bring its processing into compliance within six months. This is one of the largest fines issued by the DPC since the GDPR came into effect in 2018.