Google could face €15 million fine for violating Dutch privacy legislation

Dutch privacy watchdog group CBP has threatened Google with up to a €15 million fine for violating Dutch privacy legislation. According to DutchNews, the issue stems from Google collecting personal information about users from Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and search results and combining the data into one profile for more effective targeted advertising.

CBP claims that Google has not properly informed or gained permission from users to comb this personal information, which contravenes Dutch law. The watchdog group adds that privacy regulators in Britain, Germany, Spain, and Italy are also taking action against Google, with similar privacy cases over the past few years in the United Kingdom and France.

Google announced in early 2012 that new worldwide privacy terms and conditions would apply to users of all Google services effective March 1, 2012, and responded that it is disappointed in CBP’s reaction to its actions. CBP outlines that Google has sent a letter to six European privacy regulators with proposals for legislation compliance.

“We are looking forward to discussing them in the short term,” a spokesman told DutchNews.

Google has until February 2015 to make the required changes outlined by the CBP, including implementing a new permission screen to gain consent from users about the combing of personal information across various services, a clear and consistent privacy policy that outlines what personal data is used, and making clear the fact that YouTube is owned by Google.