Ireland’s privacy regulator fined Google €403 million ($463 million) over GDPR breaches in its 2018–2020 processing of location data. It ordered Google to bring that processing into compliance within six months; three other inquiries are at an advanced stage.
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) examined Google's use of location data through Web & App Activity, Location History and Location Accuracy from 2018 to 2020. It found infringements involving the lawfulness and fairness of processing. Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said the failures could have left people unaware their data was used to influence ads or infer interests, potentially causing them to lose control over their personal data.
Google said the case concerns historical policies and that its location-data practices have changed significantly since 2019. It cited options for users to automatically delete personal data on a rolling basis, store Timeline data on their devices, and control how data is used for advertising. The DPC opened its investigation in 2020 after complaints from European consumer-rights groups, including BEUC.
