Over in Europe, there have been various initiatives in an attempt to try and protect user privacy as much as possible. For example there was the introduction of the right to be forgotten, where users could submit requests to have certain search results against them to be omitted so that they will no longer be associated with the topic.Then there was also the recent introduction of the GDPR which was introduced not too long ago, although unfortunately for Google, it appears that the might have already violated the rules. According to French data protection authority CNIL, they claim that Google had broken the rules of the GDPR for failing to make its data consent policies transparent and easy to access, and as such will be fined a whopping 50 million euros (around $57 million).
This is said to be the largest fine imposed with regards to the new policy which has only been around for less than a year. Prior to that, the largest fine was around 400,000 euros which were levied against a hospital in Portugal. According to privacy activist Max Schrems, “We are very pleased that for the first time a European data protection authority is using the possibilities of GDPR to punish clear violations of the law.”
Google has also responded to the report in a statement to ZDNet which reads, “People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We’re deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR. We’re studying the decision to determine our next steps.”