Dublin: The European Union’s data privacy regulator has imposed a fine of Rs 4,435 crore on Google, the US-based search giant, over alleged violations of the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The case was handled by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, as Google’s European headquarters is located in the country. The regulator examined complaints that the company collected users’ personal location information without their permission.
The inquiry found that user data was tracked and gathered through “Web & App Activity” — described as a digital diary — as well as through location history features.
Investigators also flagged a lack of transparency in the “location accuracy” setting on Android devices. Following these findings, the fine was issued.
This is reported to be the fourth-largest penalty imposed on the company for privacy rule breaches within the European Union.
