Google Faces $19M Fine Over Privacy Policy

Google faces a fine of up to €15 million ($19 million) for what officials consider to be lackluster protection of Dutch citizens' privacy.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) accused the search giant of violating local laws that govern the application of user information.

According to the watchdog agency, Google mines queries, emails, cookies, location information, and video viewing habits to curate personalized advertisements—a move the DPA says in "in conflict with the law." Local rules require that the tech giant tell users about its data-gathering practices and get permission before analyzing private information.

"Google captures us in an invisible web of our personal information without telling us that and without asking our permission," DPA President Jacob Kohnstamm said in a translated statement. "This has been running since 2012 and we hope that our patience will no longer be put to the test."

The issue dates back to the spring of 2012, when Google's updated privacy policy consolidated 70-plus policies into one. With the change, Google created one profile for users rather than separate logins for services like YouTube, Search, and Blogger. That account consolidation, however, had privacy advocates up in arms.

Last winter, the DPA concluded that Google did not adequately inform users about what personal data it collects and combines, and for what purposes. At the time, Google argued that its revamped privacy policy does not run afoul of any rules.

"We're disappointed with the Dutch DPA's order, especially as we have already made a number of changes to our privacy policy in response to their concerns," a Google spokesman told PCMag in a statement today.

There may, however, be a way for Google to avoid paying up. "We've recently shared some proposals for further changes with the group of European DPAs and we look forward to discussing with them soon," the spokesman told PCMag.

The Dutch are not the only ones who do not like Google's privacy policy. Google was fined $1.23 million in Spain last year and about $200,000 in France earlier this year.