Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has been fined more than €400 million, equivalent to approximately £345 million, by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) following an investigation into its handling of users’ location data.
The regulator found that Google’s processing of location information breached requirements under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The investigation began six years ago after several European consumer rights organisations submitted complaints concerning the company’s location data practices.
Investigation Examines Location Tracking and Advertising
The DPC examined whether Google Ireland processed location data lawfully and fairly and complied with its accountability obligations under GDPR.
The investigation covered the period from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020 and focused on three Google features: “web and app activity”, “location history” and “location accuracy”.
The regulator concluded that users may not have understood that their location information was being processed to deliver targeted advertising or infer their interests.
The findings raise questions about the transparency of Google’s disclosures and whether users were adequately informed about how their personal information was being used.
Google Given Six Months to Address Compliance Failures
Alongside the financial penalty, the DPC ordered Google to bring its location data processing practices into compliance with GDPR within six months.
The company will therefore be required to address the regulatory findings within the specified period.
The penalty is the fourth-largest fine imposed by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission since GDPR came into force in May 2018.
The decision adds to the regulatory scrutiny of how technology companies collect and use personal information, particularly location data employed for advertising and user profiling.
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