The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has taken action against Google for violations of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). BEUC’s press release reads that the tech giant would be unfairly steering consumers towards its surveillance system when they sign up to a Google account, instead of giving them privacy by design and by default as required by the GDPR. BEUC complaints against disproportionate differences between automatic settings of a Google account v. personalised settings which require a more lengthy process. Throughout this registration process, the organisation laments that Google uses unclear, incomplete, and misleading language.
In its press release BEUC concludes that the Google account signup process has important repercussions for consumers’ privacy. It unifies and personalises the experience of Google users across all the company’s services. The account also helps set Google’s surveillance as the bedrock for the digital market, as many companies depend on Google for their day-to-day operations and services. Find the press release here.