EU to Act Against Google Over Privacy Rules: French Agency

PARIS – European data protection agencies intend to take action against the US Internet giant Google after it failed to follow their orders to comply with EU privacy laws, a French agency said on Monday.

In October the data protection agencies warned Google that its new privacy policy did not comply with EU laws and gave it four months to comply or face legal action.

“At the end of a four-month delay accorded to Google to conform and promise to implement recommendations, no response has been forthcoming by the company” said France’s CNIL data protection agency.

CNIL said that European data protection agencies planned to set up a working group to “coordinate their coercive actions which should be implemented before the summer.”

European data agencies are to meet next week to approve the action plan, said CNIL, which said it is leading the effort.

Google rolled out the new privacy policy in March 2012, allowing it to track users across various services to develop targeted advertising, despite sharp criticism from US and European consumer advocacy groups.

It contends the move simplifies and unifies its policies across its various services such as Gmail, YouTube, Android mobile systems, social networks and Internet search.

But critics argue that the policy, which offers no ability to opt out aside from refraining from signing into Google services, gives the operator of the world’s largest search engine unprecedented ability to monitor its users.

Google reiterated on Monday that its privacy policy respects European law.