Data Protection opens proceedings against Google over privacy

The Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD) has opened disciplinary proceedings in relation to Google’s new unified privacy policy for most of its services and implemented by the company in March last year, reports the agency itself into a Note (PDF) .

It is a move announced a few hours after that the French agency for data protection, CNIL, give an ultimatum to the company to comply with the laws of the country. The AEDP states “agreed the start of this research in the framework of a coordinated action with the Data Protection Authorities of Germany, France, Holland, Italy and the UK ”.

In Spain, the procedure is to clarify, among other things, whether the combination of data from various services complies with the guarantees of information to users, if the aims and proportionality for which information is used legitimizes treating and if data retention periods and options for users to exercise their rights of access, rectification, cancellation and opposition meet the Organic Law on Data Protection.

In a brief statement, Google said that its privacy policy “respect European laws and to create simple and effective services. “ ”We are fully engaged with the authorities in this process, and will continue to be enjoined hereinafter” concludes his note.

Five serious infractions and a slight

The beginning of this disciplinary proceeding occurs after finishing the previous research conducted by the AEPD, which allowed a finding ofevidence of the commission of a total of six offenses , five of them serious that could lead to a fine of up to 300,000 euros and a slight-of LOPD.

Among the signs detected by the Spanish agency, it notes that “ Google does not report clearly on the use to be made ​​of data it collects from users , so they can not know precisely what ends justify the collection of their personal data or the use to be made ​​of the same “.

In addition, unified privacy policies allow the company, according to the AEPD, “combine personal information with service to others and use it for other purposes.”

Besides suspect that Google “could be doing a disproportionate treatment of user data,” the company “could be preserving user data indefinitely or unreasonable” .

Finally, it alleges that “the tools offered by Google to exercise the rights of access, rectification, cancellation and opposition are scattered , are not available to all users, are incomplete and appear with names that do not always correspond to the subject is about. “