Google fined over €400m by Irish regulator over location data practices

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has imposed a fine of more than €400 million on Google for its handling of user location data. The investigation, which spanned several years, concluded that the tech giant manipulated users into agreeing to constant tracking, potentially compromising their privacy. The DPC found that Google failed to provide a valid legal basis for processing this data, which could reveal sensitive personal details such as religious beliefs, health conditions, and political affiliations. The regulator noted that users were often unaware their location was being used for targeted advertising or interest profiling. While Google stated that its policies have evolved since the 2019 period in question, the DPC has ordered the company to bring its data processing into full compliance with GDPR regulations within six months. This ruling marks another significant enforcement action against a major tech firm by the Irish regulator.