Google fined €403 million by EU over location data privacy violations

Google has been fined 403 million euros by the European Union for violating strict privacy rules related to the handling of users' location data. The Irish Data Protection Commission found that Google did not lawfully or fairly process location data in users' Web & App Activity and Location History, as well as failing to be transparent in its processing of personal data in the Android mobile operating system's Location Accuracy feature.

Ireland is the lead regulator for Google in the 27-member EU because the company's European headquarters are based in Dublin. The six-year investigation examined Google's compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation from its implementation in 2018 until February 2020. Google stated that its historical policies have since been updated, and from 2019 onwards, it has significantly evolved its practices and launched robust tools for managing location data.

Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle stated that location data can bring benefits and harms to individuals, as it can enhance online services but also reveal private information. This fine is the fourth-largest EU privacy fine issued by the Irish watchdog, which has previously handed out larger fines to TikTok and Meta. The regulator still has three other ongoing privacy investigations involving Google.