Ireland fines Google 403m Euros for location data breach

Google has been fined 403 million euros, or about 463 million US dollars, by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission for breaching European Union privacy rules over the handling of users’ location data. The investigation found that Google had not lawfully or transparently processed location information collected through its Web and App Activity and Location History services.  
The data privacy regulator also found shortcomings in Google’s processing of personal data through its Location Accuracy feature in the Android operating system. It further said that location data can provide useful services but can also reveal significant and inherently private information about individuals. The fine is the fourth-largest privacy penalty imposed by the Irish watchdog, which has previously issued larger fines against TikTok and Meta. Alongside the fine, the regulator said it had "ordered Google to bring its processing into compliance within six months". Contacted by a news agency, Google did not immediately respond.
The DPC said its investigation, which began in 2020 and covers the period from the introduction of GDPR in May 2018 to February 4th, 2020, found that Google infringed the GDPR by processing users’ location data unlawfully and unfairly through three features: web and app activity, location history and location accuracy. “Location data is a type of personal data which is processed by way of location tracking, and includes data collected or processed by Google, which, by itself or in conjunction with other information, an individual’s location can be inferred,” aid DPC deputy commissioner Graham Doyle in a statement.