Security News > 2021 > November > Italy's Antitrust Regulator Fines Google and Apple for "Aggressive" Data Practices
Italy's antitrust regulator has fined both Apple and Google €10 million each for what it calls are "Aggressive" data practices and for not providing consumers with clear information on commercial uses of their personal data during the account creation phase.
The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato said "Google and Apple did not provide clear and immediate information on the acquisition and use of user data for commercial purposes," adding the tech companies chose to emphasize the data collection as only necessary to improve their own services and personalize user experience without offering any indication that the data could be transferred and used for other reasons.
The concerns have to do with how the companies omit relevant information when creating an account and using their services, details which the authority said are critical to making an informed decision as to whether or not to give permission for utilizing their data for commercial intent.
The lack of express user consent, the AGCM argued, not only pre-sets users' acceptance but also enables Apple and Google to subject the generated data to other kinds of processing without providing a mechanism by which consumers can confirm or change their choice on sharing their personal data.
"This acquisition architecture, prepared by Apple, does not make it possible to exercise one's will on the use of one's data for commercial purposes," the regulator noted.
Google is also expected to "Clarify the internal limits on the data" that the company itself can use, which involves placing restrictions to prevent the use of "First-party personal data to track users for targeting and measurement of ads shown on non-Google websites" as well as leverage users' Chrome browsing history and Analytics data for targeting ads on Google or non-Google websites.
News URL
https://thehackernews.com/2021/11/italys-antitrust-regulator-fines-google.html