Irish regulator says tech giant breached privacy rules by processing users’ location data without sufficient transparency…..
Google has been hit with a 403 million-euro ($462 million) fine by Ireland’s data protection regulator over the way the technology giant handled users’ location information under European Union privacy rules.
The penalty was announced on Monday by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which oversees the application of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the case. The regulator said its investigation found that Google breached the bloc’s privacy framework between May 2018 and February 2020.
The inquiry, which began in February 2020, focused on how Google processed location information generated through its web and app activity as well as location history.
In its final decision, the DPC concluded that Google had failed to meet GDPR requirements concerning the lawfulness and fairness of its processing of users’ location data.
The regulator said the issue went beyond the collection of location information, raising concerns about whether users had enough understanding and control over how that data was subsequently used.
According to DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle, users may not have been aware that information about their whereabouts could be used to shape the advertising they received or to draw conclusions about their personal interests.
Doyle also pointed to the length of time the information was retained, saying Google’s decision to keep users’ location data for longer than necessary further weakened their control over their personal information.
The Irish watchdog has now ordered Google to change its data-processing practices and bring them into line with EU requirements within six months, in addition to paying the financial penalty.
The decision adds to growing scrutiny of how major technology companies collect, process and retain personal information, particularly data capable of revealing details about people’s movements and interests.
