Google to Change Privacy Policy Following Investigation by UK Data Watchdogs

[[Coi] Mr.CLuBBeR]

UK regulator will not fine Google

Google has been dealing with government regulators from 28 different countries since the company changed its privacy policy back in 2012. In the wake of being fined by Spain and France, Google has agreed to change its privacy policy after Britain’s data protection regulator stated that the privacy policy was too vague.
On Friday, the Information Commissioner’s Office said in a statement that Google would be required to sign a “formal undertaking” that it would make changes to its policy by June 30 while taking further steps within the next two years. As a result of this agreement, the UK will not fine Google, unlike France and Spain where regulators fined the company in addition to asking for changes.
“We’re pleased that the ICO has decided to close its investigation,” a spokesman from Google said.
Back in 2012, Google had consolidated over 60 of its existing privacy policies into one and began to pool the data it collected on individual users across its various services such as YouTube, Google+, and Gmail without providing users a way to opt out. Shortly after implementing these changes, data protection regulators from 28 European countries gave Google a deadline, after asking the company to delay the changes to its policies, after discovering that the new approach didn’t comply with EU rules.
Prior to the UK’s agreement with Google, Spain fined the company 900,000 euros ($1.02 million) while France leveled a 150,000 euros fine at the company. The fines may be a drop in the bucket for Google, which reported an annual revenue of $66 billion in 2014, but other countries are still considering their approach to the situation.
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