Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Google more than €400m over its handling of users' location data, after complaints that the company tracked users' movements and may have used the information to target adverts.
Key facts
- Google has been fined more than €400m (£345m) by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC).
- The penalty relates to how Google processed users' location data.
- The regulator says users may have been unaware their information was used to target adverts or infer their interests.
- The fine follows complaints from multiple European consumer organisations.
- Complaints alleged Google manipulated users into agreeing to be constantly tracked on their mobile phones.
Google has been fined more than €400m (£345m) over the way it processed users’ location data, according to the Guardian. The penalty was imposed by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), the regulator responsible for overseeing the company’s data practices in the European Union.
The fine follows complaints from multiple European consumer organisations that alleged Google was, in effect, following every step users took. According to the Guardian, the claims centred on accusations that the tech giant had manipulated users into agreeing to be constantly tracked on their mobile phones.
The watchdog said users may have been unaware that their information was used to target adverts or to infer their interests, the Guardian reported. That concern lies at the heart of the regulator’s decision to act against the company.
The role of Ireland’s DPC is significant because many large technology firms base their European operations in the country, placing the regulator at the centre of enforcement of the EU’s data protection rules. Its decisions can therefore carry weight across the wider European market.
The reported fine of more than €400m ranks among the substantial penalties directed at major technology companies over data handling. The Guardian did not, in the available text, detail Google’s response or any planned appeal.
Why it matters
Location data can reveal detailed information about a person's daily movements, habits and interests, making its handling a central privacy concern. A fine of this scale signals continued regulatory pressure on how large technology companies collect and use personal data, and reinforces the influence of Ireland's regulator over the practices of firms operating across the EU.
Frequently asked questions
How much was Google fined?
Google was fined more than €400m (£345m), according to the Guardian.
Who imposed the fine?
The fine was imposed by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), the regulator overseeing Google's data practices.
Why was Google fined?
The penalty relates to how Google processed users' location data. The regulator said users may have been unaware their information was used to target adverts or infer their interests, following complaints from European consumer organisations.