Google has big problems - surveillance of people uncovered
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for four violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in handling user geolocation data. The investigation, launched in 2020 following complaints from EU consumer organizations, found that Google used manipulative tactics (dark patterns) to coerce users into enabling location-sharing features. The violations involved Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy, as well as transparency issues. Google stated the rules are outdated and its policies have since been updated. This is the fourth-largest fine in the DPC's history.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for four violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in handling user geolocation data. The investigation began in 2020 after complaints from consumer organizations across EU countries, which alleged that Google used manipulative tactics (dark patterns) to coerce users into enabling features that transmit geolocation data. The violations concerned the Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy functions, as well as the transparency of these processes. The decision was made by DPC commissioners Des Hogan, Dale Sunderland, and Niamh Sweeney. Google, through spokesperson Matilda Meshen, stated that the case involves outdated rules that have already been updated and that the company's policies have significantly changed since 2019. The fine is the fourth-largest in the authority's history. The DPC is conducting three other investigations into Google: processing of data by the PaLM2 AI model, the personal advertising system, and the account registration process.