EU competition authority investigates Google data collection – update
The European Directorate-General for Competition, the EU’s competition authority, is investigating Google’s data collection practices. To this end, the body sent questionnaires to several other companies. That writes Reuters.
In the questionnaires, which were sent to unnamed companies, the Competition DG would question the companies about Google’s data collection in the context of local search services, online advertising, targeted advertising, login services, browsers and more. It also wants to know about data sharing agreements with Google, any compensation for this, cases where Google refused to share data and the like. Overall, the Competition DG seems to be exploring a possible data monopoly.
It wouldn’t be the first time Google has run into trouble with Europe. Here, relatively strict action is taken against tech companies. Earlier, the EU fined Google €4.34 billion for abuse of power with Android and later a fine of €1.49 billion for the same violation with its AdSense network.
Google says in a response to Reuters that it will cooperate with the European Commission in this matter. The European Commission, for which the Directorate-General for Competition works, will not comment to Reuters. The EU competition commissioner said a few days ago that he was not satisfied with what the fines have yielded to Google so far.
Update, Sunday: the Directorate-General for Competition has confirmed the investigation to Reuters.