Google Ireland Limited

Summary

The Irish DPA has imposed a fine of EUR 403,000,000 on Google Ireland Limited. Following reports from several EU consumer rights organisations, the DPC, acting as the lead supervisory authority, opened an inquiry into Google. The complaints, filed in 2018, stated that three features accessible to Google Account holders, Android users and general users were tracking users' locations for different unlawful purposes. The inquiry found that a feature processing data relating to the use of Google services, such as browsing and search history and location data, did not meet the standards of the principles of lawfulness and fairness in processing personal data. It was also found that data subjects might not be aware of the tracking, therefore losing control over their personal data. Another feature was found to use data subjects' location data history to tailor ads and record location data even when the services were not in use. The processing of location data for this feature was found to not comply with the principles of lawfulness and transparency for the aforementioned reasons. Furthermore, Google could not prove the lawful basis for processing personal data for a feature that allows users to determine their location more accurately, relying not only on the device's GPS.