Search engine giant Google is being scrutinized by regulators in Italy over questionable commercial practices.
The company and its parent firm are now facing new investigations from the AGCM in Italy regarding its consent requests generated to users for targeted advertising. Users are asked to link activity through various Google apps and services so the company can track them for ads. However, the authority says the techniques employed by the tech giant are unfair for commercial use.
As per the AGCM, the consent requests that are thrown in users’ direction might end up influencing the decision regarding consent being provided as it entails incomplete data and misinformation. There is a clear lack of transparency on the company’s end as to what is being requested, it concluded.
The press release regarding the concern says the request provides zero clarity in terms of what consent is being asked for and what user information would be taken if consent was provided.
The investigation will also focus on the drawbacks related to the whole process of getting consent where users don’t have a lot of choices related to which of its services could access their personal information.
Similarly, it suspects that the tech giant could use a long list of tactics to impact the users’ entire process of making decisions and their choices of freedom in this matter.
The Authority also spoke about how Google could end up using unfair techniques and methodology for consent and also set up incorrect mechanisms for getting consent alone. This would alter the freedom of choice related to the average customer.
In this way, the company plays it smart. They end up making decisions that possibly wouldn’t have been taken otherwise. This includes cross-use of data amongst the long list of services up for grabs.
Google acknowledged the entire investigation related to the Competition Authority in Italy and how details would be analyzed regarding the matter. They would be working cooperatively alongside this Authority.
The news comes after the EC began a probe against the tech giant in the month of March under the DMA over compliance violations taking place on Google Search and steering its way into the Google Play Store.
The Digital Markets Act calls big tech giants like Google, Meta, and Apple as gatekeepers depending on a checklist of factors. Amongst those include getting user consent before data processing for targeted advertising practices. Moreover, such an investigation in Italy is really focusing more on how consent was taken and what data is linked through these services.
It’s about time Google realized that it cannot attain consent from users of its apps when the transparency is limited regarding where the data would be used and for what reason. Do you agree?
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Big Tech Join Hands To Establish New Coalition To Keep AI Secure
The company and its parent firm are now facing new investigations from the AGCM in Italy regarding its consent requests generated to users for targeted advertising. Users are asked to link activity through various Google apps and services so the company can track them for ads. However, the authority says the techniques employed by the tech giant are unfair for commercial use.
As per the AGCM, the consent requests that are thrown in users’ direction might end up influencing the decision regarding consent being provided as it entails incomplete data and misinformation. There is a clear lack of transparency on the company’s end as to what is being requested, it concluded.
The press release regarding the concern says the request provides zero clarity in terms of what consent is being asked for and what user information would be taken if consent was provided.
The investigation will also focus on the drawbacks related to the whole process of getting consent where users don’t have a lot of choices related to which of its services could access their personal information.
Similarly, it suspects that the tech giant could use a long list of tactics to impact the users’ entire process of making decisions and their choices of freedom in this matter.
The Authority also spoke about how Google could end up using unfair techniques and methodology for consent and also set up incorrect mechanisms for getting consent alone. This would alter the freedom of choice related to the average customer.
In this way, the company plays it smart. They end up making decisions that possibly wouldn’t have been taken otherwise. This includes cross-use of data amongst the long list of services up for grabs.
Google acknowledged the entire investigation related to the Competition Authority in Italy and how details would be analyzed regarding the matter. They would be working cooperatively alongside this Authority.
The news comes after the EC began a probe against the tech giant in the month of March under the DMA over compliance violations taking place on Google Search and steering its way into the Google Play Store.
The Digital Markets Act calls big tech giants like Google, Meta, and Apple as gatekeepers depending on a checklist of factors. Amongst those include getting user consent before data processing for targeted advertising practices. Moreover, such an investigation in Italy is really focusing more on how consent was taken and what data is linked through these services.
It’s about time Google realized that it cannot attain consent from users of its apps when the transparency is limited regarding where the data would be used and for what reason. Do you agree?
Read next: Big Tech Join Hands To Establish New Coalition To Keep AI Secure
