Google has been hit with a substantial fine of 403 million euros, equivalent to $463 million, for breaching strict European Union privacy regulations related to the improper handling of user location data. The bloc's supervisory authority determined that the company acted unlawfully, unfairly, and non-transparently when managing personal data through the location accuracy feature in the Android mobile operating system.
The Irish Data Protection Commission reported that its investigation found Google improperly or unfairly processed location data within the 'Web & App Activity' settings for users, which tracks search and browsing history, as well as in the 'Location History' service, which displays visited locations via mobile phones.
Regulators also concluded that the company violated the principles of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency when processing personal data in the 'Location Accuracy' feature in Android. Ireland serves as the lead regulator for Google across the 27-member EU, as the American tech giant's European headquarters is located in Dublin.
The investigation, which began six years ago, examined the company's adherence to EU privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), from its entry into force in 2018 until February 2020. In response, Google stated in a submission: 'This case relates to historical policies that have since been updated. Since 2019, we have significantly improved our practices and launched robust tools to simplify location data management.'
Regulator representatives emphasized that location data is a type of personal data collected by Google and can be used to determine an individual's location. Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle noted: 'Location data can be both beneficial and harmful to individuals. It can significantly enhance the usefulness of online services, but it can also reveal a substantial amount of information about a person, including information that is inherently private.'
This fine represents the fourth largest privacy violation penalty issued by the Irish supervisory authority, which had previously imposed larger fines on TikTok and Meta, including a €1.2 billion fine for Meta. The regulator announced that it still has three other ongoing investigations concerning Google.