Google Privacy Policy in Hot Water in Europe

Google Privacy Policy in Hot Water in Europe

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Jul 11, 2013

Better watch out Google! The UK, Germany and other European countries are hot on your trail, requesting you to rewrite your privacy policy in Europe or face legal action!

Google Privacy Policy in Hot Water in EuropeHaving already been censored in Europe because of its collection of Wi-Fi data (usernames, passwords and web page viewing, while collecting photos for its Street View system), Google is being targeted and emotions are flaring about the vast amount of personal data it collects on a daily basis from users.

The UK Google

The UK is questioning Google’s compliance with their Data Protection Act (DPA), which sets rules for processing personal information and requires personal data to be:

  • Fairly and lawfully processed;
  • Processed for limited purposes;
  • Adequate, relevant and not excessive;
  • Accurate;
  • Not kept for longer than is necessary;
  • Processed in line with an individual’s rights;
  • Secure; and
  • Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.

According to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, Google’s privacy policy, introduced in March 2012, raises “serious questions,” and Google has until September 20, 2013 to recast it before the UK seeks legal recourse.

German Google

About 930 miles away, in Hamburg, Germany, Johannes Caspar, head of the Data Protection Agency (DPA) in Hamburg, Germany, and an outspoken critic of Google, has had nothing but issues with the search engine.

In 2010, Google wanted its Street View mapping service of 20 German cities to go live by November of that year; however, because Germany has some tough privacy laws, probably due to Germans suffering under Nazi and East German rule historically, Google extended the deadline to October 15th of 2010 to allow people to opt-out of Street View. By opting out, the homes of German citizens would be removed before Google launched this service.

Caspar, however, said that his “concerns about implementing these complex opt-out proceedings were unfortunately not respected.”

This prompted the Berlin government to meet with Google representatives to agree on finding a way of respecting privacy.

Caspar is currently responding to Google’s privacy policy, because it “violates the company’s commitment to full transparency about the use and handling of the data.”

Like the UK, Germany is ready to take legal action against Google. In fact, Italy, France and Spain have also joined this battle, threatening Google with fines if they don’t comply.

Ultimately, it seems it’s about examining countries’ privacy policies as well as what Google actually does with the data it collects.

Sources:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/05/google-privacy-policy-legal-action 

http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/data-protection/ 

http://www.searchclinic.org/2010/09/feed 

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”