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| Google and privacy: European data regulators round on search giant | Google and privacy: European data regulators round on search giant |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Google will face a fine by France's data protection watchdog if it does not rewrite its privacy policy within the next three months, while Spain has begun a "sanction procedure" against the search giant. | Google will face a fine by France's data protection watchdog if it does not rewrite its privacy policy within the next three months, while Spain has begun a "sanction procedure" against the search giant. |
| European data regulators are rounding on Google in a co-ordinated campaign to force the company to improve protection for consumers, with the UK, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands also planning to take action. | European data regulators are rounding on Google in a co-ordinated campaign to force the company to improve protection for consumers, with the UK, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands also planning to take action. |
| France on Thursday launched enforcement action against Google, asking the company to tighten safeguards. The Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertes (CNIL) has given Google formal notice that it risks a fine of up to €150,000 (£128,000) and a second of €300,000 if it fails to act. | France on Thursday launched enforcement action against Google, asking the company to tighten safeguards. The Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertes (CNIL) has given Google formal notice that it risks a fine of up to €150,000 (£128,000) and a second of €300,000 if it fails to act. |
| Google collects a wide range of information on individuals, including names, photographs, email addresses, phone numbers, credit cards, websites visited, what smartphones, tablets and computers customers are using, logs of queries typed into its search engine, phone numbers called, time, date and duration of calls, and customer locations. | Google collects a wide range of information on individuals, including names, photographs, email addresses, phone numbers, credit cards, websites visited, what smartphones, tablets and computers customers are using, logs of queries typed into its search engine, phone numbers called, time, date and duration of calls, and customer locations. |
| France has requested a number of changes. It wants Google to give customers "defined and explicit purposes" for gathering their personal data, so that individuals know how their information will be used before deciding whether to share it. | France has requested a number of changes. It wants Google to give customers "defined and explicit purposes" for gathering their personal data, so that individuals know how their information will be used before deciding whether to share it. |
| France also wants "definite retention periods" for data, so that it is not held beyond the period required for the purpose it was gathered. Users should be informed before the 'cookies' which track their browsing are stored on their computer. And Google should not be allowed, without legal basis, to continue with the "potentially unlimited combination of users' data", in order to build up detailed pictures of named individuals. | France also wants "definite retention periods" for data, so that it is not held beyond the period required for the purpose it was gathered. Users should be informed before the 'cookies' which track their browsing are stored on their computer. And Google should not be allowed, without legal basis, to continue with the "potentially unlimited combination of users' data", in order to build up detailed pictures of named individuals. |
| "This case is a significant test of how strong the laws are to protect our privacy in an internet age," said Nick Pickles, director of privacy campaign Big Brother Watch. "Fines totalling a few million dollars will hardly trouble a multi-billion dollar empire and it's essential that action does force the company to respect our privacy and put users rights before the demands of its advertising customers. | |
| The UK Information Commissioner's Office is considering whether Google's privacy policy, updated in July last year, is compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 1998, and will shortly be writing to Google to confirm their preliminary findings. | The UK Information Commissioner's Office is considering whether Google's privacy policy, updated in July last year, is compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 1998, and will shortly be writing to Google to confirm their preliminary findings. |
| Spain's data protection agency on Thursday told Google that it intended to take action against the company for infringing key principles of the country's data protection law, according to the CNIL's statement. | Spain's data protection agency on Thursday told Google that it intended to take action against the company for infringing key principles of the country's data protection law, according to the CNIL's statement. |
| A Google spokesman said: "Our privacy policy respects European law and allows us to create simpler, more effective services. We have engaged fully with the authorities involved throughout this process, and we'll continue to do so going forward." | A Google spokesman said: "Our privacy policy respects European law and allows us to create simpler, more effective services. We have engaged fully with the authorities involved throughout this process, and we'll continue to do so going forward." |
| On Wednesday, 37 data protection agencies sent a joint letter to Google's chief executive, Larry Page, raising concerns about Google Glass, the company's digital spectacles which are currently under development and have not yet been put on sale. | On Wednesday, 37 data protection agencies sent a joint letter to Google's chief executive, Larry Page, raising concerns about Google Glass, the company's digital spectacles which are currently under development and have not yet been put on sale. |
| "Fears of ubiquitous surveillance of individuals by other individuals, whether through such recordings or through other applications currently being developed, have been raised," the letter stated. "Questions about Google's collection of such data and what it means in terms of Google's revamped privacy policy have also started to appear." | "Fears of ubiquitous surveillance of individuals by other individuals, whether through such recordings or through other applications currently being developed, have been raised," the letter stated. "Questions about Google's collection of such data and what it means in terms of Google's revamped privacy policy have also started to appear." |
| The signatories, who include data protection agencies from Canada, Australia, Israel, Switzerland and New Zealand, want privacy built into the development of products and services, and have requested demonstrations and full consultation with Google before Glass goes on sale. | The signatories, who include data protection agencies from Canada, Australia, Israel, Switzerland and New Zealand, want privacy built into the development of products and services, and have requested demonstrations and full consultation with Google before Glass goes on sale. |