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Why did Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fine Google €403 million for GDPR breaches involving its Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy features between May 2018 and February 2020; what did the regulator find about lawful and fair processing, transparenc
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for GDPR breaches in its handling of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020. The investigation began after complaints by European consumer groups, including BEUC.
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Key takeaways
- Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for GDPR breaches in its handling of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020.
- The investigation began after complaints by European consumer groups, including BEUC.
- [5] What the DPC found Google’s processing in Web & App Activity and Location History was not lawful and fair under the GDPR.
- [5] For Location Accuracy, Google failed its accountability duty because it could not demonstrate compliance with the lawful, fair and transparent processing principle.
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Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for GDPR breaches in its handling of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020. The investigation began after complaints by European consumer groups, including BEUC. 5
What the DPC found
- Google’s processing in Web & App Activity and Location History was not lawful and fair under the GDPR.
5
- For Location Accuracy, Google failed its accountability duty because it could not demonstrate compliance with the lawful, fair and transparent-processing principle.
- Google breached transparency duties across all three features: users could have been unaware that their location was used to influence advertising or infer their interests.
- It retained location data in Web & App Activity and Location History longer than necessary. The DPC said this aggravated users’ loss of control over personal data that can expose highly private information.
- The DPC ordered Google to bring the processing into compliance within six months.
Google’s response
Google described the matter as concerning “historical policies” that had been updated. It said that from 2019 it had substantially changed its practices and introduced robust tools intended to make location-data controls easier to manage. 1
Size and ranking of the fine
At €403 million, this was the fourth-largest fine imposed by Ireland’s DPC. 2
BEUC’s position
BEUC was among the consumer organisations whose complaints triggered the inquiry. It maintained that Google did not obtain valid, freely given consent for the extensive tracking alleged in the complaint, and criticised the lengthy enforcement process: it said such delay can be “as harmful as no enforcement at all,” underscoring the need for faster enforcement of consumer rights. 5
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What is the short answer to "Why did Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fine Google €403 million for GDPR breaches involving its Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy features between May 2018 and February 2020; what did the regulator find about lawful and fair processing, transparenc"?
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for GDPR breaches in its handling of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020.
What are the key points to validate first?
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Google €403 million for GDPR breaches in its handling of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 25 May 2018 to 4 February 2020. The investigation began after complaints by European consumer groups, including BEUC.
What should I do next in practice?
[5] What the DPC found Google’s processing in Web & App Activity and Location History was not lawful and fair under the GDPR.