Ireland Fines Google €403 Million Over Location Data Privacy Breaches
Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) fines Google €403 million ($463 million) for multiple GDPR violations related to how the company processes users' location data. The investigation began in February 2020 after consumer rights organizations file complaints, and it examines three Google features active between May 2018 and February 2020: Web and App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy.
The DPC finds that Google processes location data through Web and App Activity and Location History without meeting GDPR requirements, and fails to demonstrate compliance with data protection principles for its Location Accuracy feature on Android. The regulator also says Google does not meet transparency obligations for any of the three features and retains location data longer than necessary. Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle states that individuals could be unaware their location is used to influence them with ads or infer their interests, causing them to lose control over their personal data.
The DPC demands that Google bring its user data processing into compliance within six months, and it plans to publish its full decision in the future. Google says it has already updated its practices and policies following the investigation. The fine adds to a growing list of European regulatory penalties against major tech companies over privacy violations.