BRUSSELS, Feb 18, (Agencies): European data watchdogs said on Monday they plan to take action against Google by this summer for its privacy policy, which allows the search engine to pool user data from across all its services ranging from YouTube to Gmail.
The move is the latest in a skirmish between the web giant and Europe’s data protection regulators who view the privacy rules put in place in March by Google as “high risk,” although have stopped short of declaring them illegal.
Regulators view the bundling of data on users as potentially constituting a high risk to individuals’ privacy.
Google last year consolidated 60 privacy policies into one, combining data collected on individual users across its services, including YouTube, Gmail and social network Google+. Users cannot opt out.
In October, Europe’s 27 data regulators gave Google four months to change its approach, listing 12 “practical recommendations” for it to bring its privacy policy into line.
On Monday the French privacy regulator, which last year led an initial inquiry into the tech giant’s new policy, said it would set up a further inquiry because Google had not yet addressed their concerns.
“Google did not provide any precise and effective answers,” the French regulator CNIL said.
“In this context, the EU data protection authorities are committed to act and continue their investigations. Therefore, they propose to set up a working group, led by the CNIL, in order to coordinate their reaction, which should take place before summer.”
Google said it did respond to CNIL on January 8 by listing steps already taken to address their concerns.
“We have engaged fully with CNIL throughout the process and will continue to do so,” Al Verney, a spokesperson said.
He added that the privacy policy did respect European law.
The pooling of anonymous user data across Google services, is a big advantage when selling online ads.
Google and other large internet groups such as Facebook provide free services to consumers and earn money from selling ads that they say are more closely targeted than traditional TV or radio campaigns.
The California-based firm said previously that the changes are designed to improve the user experience across the various Google products, and give the firm a more integrated view of its users, an advantage enjoyed by Apple and Facebook.
“We have engaged fully with the CNIL throughout this process, and we’ll continue to do so going forward,” it added.
European data protection agencies had recommended to Google that it improve information provided to users, particularly on the categories of data being processed, and for what purposes and services.
CNIL said they had also asked Google to specify precise periods it would hold onto personal data.
CNIL said that by Monday that Google had not provided “any precise and effective answers to their recommendations.”
Given Google’s failure to act, “EU data protection authorities are committed to act and continue their investigations,” said CNIL, adding they would meet on February 26 to approve a working plan on their actions against Google.
European states’ data agencies differ widely in their investigative and enforcement powers.
EU competition authorities are separately looking at whether the US firm used its search engine to boost its own services and disadvantage competitors by preferential rankings.
Google has responded to that probe, submitting last month proposals aimed at ending the EU probe into its dominance of online search advertising platforms.