{
  "id": 8947988,
  "title": "EU fines Google €403mil for location data breach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/eu-fines-google-403mil-for-location-data-breach",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-21T14:40:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/21/eu-fines-google-403mil-for-location-data-breach"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a substantial €403 million fine on Google for improperly utilizing users' location data, which violated the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is the fourth-largest fine ever imposed by the Data Protection Commission. The infraction occurred between May 2018 and February 2020, when Google collected and processed location data without users' consent. The regulator's deputy commissioner, Graham Doyle, highlighted that individuals might have been unaware that their location data was being used to influence ads or infer personal interests. As a result of this breach, the Data Protection Commission has ordered Google to comply with GDPR within six months. Google responded by stating that its practices have evolved since 2019, implementing more robust tools for managing location data. The fine comes after consumer groups in eight European countries lodged complaints against Google, with the BEUC (European Consumer Organisation) referring to the decision as \"good news for consumers,\" as it holds Google accountable and confirms the illegality of its data collection methods. Despite the fine, BEUC criticized the delay in enforcement, emphasizing that \"late enforcement can be as harmful as no enforcement at all.\" The regulator is currently investigating Google for three additional cases, with the largest fine ever imposed on a tech company being €1.2 billion levied against Facebook owner Meta in 2023 for transferring data to the US.",
  "summary": "Ireland's data protection watchdog says Google infringed the EU's General Data Protection Regulation between May 2018 and February 2020.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "EU fines Google €403mil for location data breach",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/eu-fines-google-403mil-for-location-data-breach-8950312",
        "published": "2026-09-21T14:40:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}