Google Slapped with €403 Million Fine Over Location Data Practices

Google has been fined €403 million (approximately $463 million) by Ireland's Data Protection Commission over its handling of user location data. The fine relates to how Google processes users' location information, following complaints that the company manipulated users into agreeing to be constantly tracked on their phones.

The penalty follows a six-year investigation triggered by complaints from seven European consumer organizations, including Norway's Forbrukerrådet. These groups argued that excessive use of location data can breach users' privacy and that Google used 'various tricks' to keep location history and web and app activity switched on.

According to the DPC, Google failed to process location data lawfully and fairly through Web & App Activity and Location History, and failed to demonstrate compliant, transparent practices for Location Accuracy. The regulator added that users could have been unaware their location was being used to influence them with ads or to infer details about their health and interests.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) welcomed the decision but criticized the pace of enforcement, saying 'the time needed to come to this conclusion is disproportionate with the seriousness of the infringement.' The DPC has ordered Google to bring its data processing into compliance with GDPR within six months.