-
Important news
-
News
-
Shenzhen
-
China
-
World
-
Opinion
-
Sports
-
Kaleidoscope
-
Photos
-
Business
-
Markets
-
Business/Markets
-
World Economy
-
Speak Shenzhen
-
Leisure
-
Culture
-
Travel
-
Entertainment
-
Digital Paper
-
In-Depth
-
Weekend
-
Lifestyle
-
Diversions
-
Movies
-
Hotels and Food
-
Special Report
-
Yes Teens!
-
News Picks
-
Tech and Science
-
Glamour
-
Campus
-
Budding Writers
-
Fun
-
Futian Today
-
Advertorial
-
CHTF Special
-
Focus
-
Guide
-
Nanshan
-
Hit Bravo
-
People
-
Person of the week
-
Majors Forum
-
Shopping
-
Investment
-
Tech and Vogue
-
Junior Journalist Program
-
Currency Focus
-
Food and Drink
-
Restaurants
-
Yearend Review
-
QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> World Economy -> 
Google accused of misleading Aussie users
    2020-07-28  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

AUSTRALIA’S competition regulator yesterday accused Alphabet’s Google of misleading consumers to get permission for use of their personal data for targeted advertising, seeking a fine “in the millions” and aiming to establish a precedent.

The move comes as scrutiny grows worldwide over data privacy, with U.S. and European lawmakers recently focusing on how tech firms treat user data.

In court documents, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission accused Google of not explicitly getting consent or properly informing consumers of a 2016 move to combine personal information in Google accounts with browsing activities on non-Google websites.

“This change ... was worth a lot of money to Google,” said commission chairman Rod Sims. “We allege they’ve achieved it through misleading behavior.”

The change allowed Google to link the browsing behaviour of millions of consumers with their names and identities, providing it with extreme market power, the regulator added.

“We consider Google misled Australian consumers about what it planned to do with large amounts of their personal information, including Internet activity on websites not connected to Google,” Sims said.

However, Google said the change was optional and consumer consent was sought through prominent and easy-to-understand notifications.

“If a user did not consent, their experience of our products and services remained unchanged,” a Google spokesman said in an email, adding that the company intends to defend its position.

In June 2016, Google had changed the wording of its privacy policy, dropping a statement that it would not combine data known as “cookies” from its advertisement display business, DoubleClick, with users’ personal information.

Instead, the new policy reads, “Depending on your account settings, your activity on other sites and apps may be associated with your personal information in order to improve Google services.”

The Australian regulator alleges that Google used the combined data to boost targeted advertising, a key income source, and that it did not make clear to consumers the changes in its privacy policy.

“This is an action we are taking that others have not,” said Sims.

The regulator wanted to establish the common law on what providers in various jurisdictions could do, and was potentially seeking “millions” in damages, he added, without specifying a figure. (SD-Agencies)

深圳报业集团版权所有, 未经授权禁止复制; Copyright 2010-2020, All Rights Reserved.
Shenzhen Daily E-mail:szdaily@126.com