Security News > 2023 > October > Google promises Germany to creep on users less after market power probe
Google has committed to being a little less creepy with user data in response to proceedings from the German Federal Cartel Office.
The commitments are all about how Google processes user data and gives those users more control over what the ad giant is doing with their information.
German sabres began to rattle concerning the processing of data by Google in January 2023.
"In the future users of Google services will have a much better choice as to what happens to their data, how Google can use them and whether their data may be used across services. This not only protects the users' right to determine the use of their data, but also curbs Google's data-driven market power."
Free and informed consent will be required from the user before data can be shared between services - for example, combining personal data from one Google service with personal data from another, which could be a Google service or a third party.
The commitments stop Google from using its data processing terms to combine or cross-use data from covered services and require that users must ask for consent - free and unambiguous consent that won't cripple services if a user declines.