EU slaps Google with €403 million fine for location data violations

Google has been ordered to pay €403 million following findings that the company violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) through improper handling of location data.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which serves as the primary regulator for Google's European operations, determined that the violations took place between May 2018 and February 2020. The investigation centred on how Google processed and managed users' location information during this period.

The penalty represents one of several enforcement actions regulators across the EU have taken against major technology firms in recent years as authorities tighten oversight of data practices. The GDPR, which came into force in 2018, grants EU residents extensive rights over their personal information and imposes substantial fines for non-compliance.

Google's location data handling practices have drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulators globally, who argue that users often lack clear understanding of how their movement information is collected and utilised. The Dublin-based regulator's findings underscore ongoing tensions between technology companies' data collection practices and Europe's increasingly stringent privacy framework.

The fine adds to Google's growing compliance costs in Europe, where the company faces multiple investigations and penalties relating to its business practices across advertising, search, and consumer privacy.