Google Fined €403M by Ireland
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Google €403 million after a six-year investigation into how the company collected and retained users’ location data.
What the Probe Found?
The inquiry, launched in February 2020, focused on three features: Web & App Activity, Location History, and Location Accuracy, covering May 2018 to February 2020.
The DPC concluded that Google:
- Failed to process location data lawfully and fairly via Web & App Activity and Location History.
- Could not show compliance with lawfulness, fairness and transparency for Location Accuracy.
- Fell short on transparency across all three features and kept location data longer than necessary.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said these failures meant people could be unaware their location was being used for example, to target ads or infer interests leading to a “loss of control” over personal data.
What Happens Next?
- Google must bring its data processing into compliance within six months.
- The DPC says it will publish the full decision in due course.
The penalty adds to a string of EU fines against Google in recent years and underscores regulators’ willingness to issue large, delayed sanctions over data protection breaches.
Source
- https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/21/google-is-fined-more-than-400m-by-irish-regulator-over-its-use-of-location-data
- https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/09/21/another-big-tech-fine-google-penalised-403m-by-irish-data-watchdog
- Image Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/the-google-logo-is-displayed-on-the-side-of-a-building-r-oebX7qWxM
Related Topics