Google: European countries denounce breach of data protection

Consumer associations from five European countries denounced Google before national personal data protection authorities, the Federation of European Consumer Associations (BEUC) announced on Thursday.

These organizations, established in France, Greece, Norway, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, accuse the American giant of inciting users to “authorize extensive and invasive treatment” of their personal data when creating their account, something that would violate the General Regulation of Data Protection (RGPD) of the community block.

By creating a Google account, “a single step is enough to authorize Google to monitor and exploit everything you do. If one wants to benefit from the parameters that give priority to the protection of private life, one is confronted with a long process and with unclear and confusing options”, denounced BEUC’s deputy director general, Ursula Pachl.

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“Privacy protection should be the default and easiest option for consumers”added the person in charge.

The federation stresses that consumers are sometimes forced to create a Google account, for example when they buy a smartphone that runs on the Android operating system (something that happens with 7 out of 10 phones in the world) if they want to download applications from the Google Play Store.

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Instead, Google ensures that the options offered to users when they create an account “are clearly presented” and that they are “easy to understand”.

“We have developed them based on the results of in-depth investigations, and according to the guidelines of the data protection authorities and the answers of the user tests,” said a company spokesman in a statement.

Source: Elcomercio

James

I have worked as a journalist for over 10 years and have written for various news outlets. I currently work as an author at 24 News Recorder, mostly covering entertainment news. I have a keen interest in the industry and enjoy writing about the latest news and gossip. I am also a member of the National Association of Journalists.