Media News - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Google privacy policy breaks law, EU data chiefs say

Search-engine Google has been ordered to re-write its data collection rules after EU regulators found that they were in breach of EU data protection laws. A letter to Google CEO Larry Page signed by 24 of the EU's 27 national data protection regulators said that the software-giant had "not demonstrated that your company endorses the key data protection principles of purpose limitation, data quality, data minimisation, proportionality and right to object." The regulators, who collectively make up the Article 29 working party on data protection, also spelt out a 12-point plan for Google to comply with EU law on data protection and retention as well as the e-privacy directive. These include requirements to get explicit consent from users to use and combine their data and create a simple opt-out mechanism for users. Google should also publish how it uses and processes personal data. However, they have steered clear of accusing the software-giant of intentionally breaking the law and of possible fines or other sanctions. The report concludes a long-running investigation into Google's practices led by French data regulator CNIL starting in March over the ways that Google collects personal data. (EU Observer)

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