Google Slapped with €403 Million Fine for Location Data Abuses
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Alphabet's Google €403 million ($463 million) for violating European Union privacy rules. The fine was issued after an investigation into Google's processing of location data from 2018 to 2020.
The DPC found that three specific features - 'Web & App Activity', 'Location History', and 'Location Accuracy' - infringed on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These features allowed Google to collect users' location data without their explicit consent, potentially influencing them with targeted ads or inferring their interests.
DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle stated that individuals may have been unaware of how their location data was being used, and could lose control over their personal data. The DPC ordered Google to bring its processing into compliance within six months.