Google fights France over record data protection fine
Google will challenge a multi-million pound fine from the French privacy regulator for failing to tell customers how it was using their data.
The company became the first major technology company to be fined under the General Data Protection Regulations when the penalty was announced on Monday.
The Silicon Valley tech giant said on Wednesday that it would appeal the data protection watchdog's record €50m (£44 million) fine for breaking privacy rules.
A Google spokesman said: “We’ve worked hard to create a GDPR consent process for personalised ads that is as transparent and straightforward as possible, based on regulatory guidance and user experience testing.
“We’re also concerned about the impact of this ruling on publishers, original content creators and tech companies in Europe and beyond. For all these reasons, we've now decided to appeal.”
The company overhauled its transparency and privacy settings when the new law came into effect in May 2018.
But France’s data protection watchdog, the CNIL, this week found it had failed to make users aware of how their information was being harvested to sell them personalised advertising after receiving complaints from users.
It claimed that the way its Android smartphone operating system collected personal information was still not clear for users.
Google is one of the largest and most successful digital advertising companies in the world and its Search division makes up the largest part of its revenue.
Along with Facebook it has become a target for regulators who are concerned that the startups-turned-conglomerates were left to operate lawlessly for too long and have failed, historically, to communicate with users about how their personal information is being used.
Critics say that the General Data Protection Regulation has helped Google, as the cost of compliance has caused smaller advertising technology rivals to shut up shop. Under the GDPR, authorities can fine companies a maximum of €20m (£17.4m), or 4pc of global turnover.
