Google to pay €403 million for location data collection violations

Google's press office emphasized that since the investigation, the company has changed its approach to managing location data. The representatives did not specify what exactly the adjustments were.

This is not the first major fine imposed on Google by European regulators. In July, the European Union fined the company more than $1 billion. At the time, the European Commission found that Google was violating two regulatory acts at once — antitrust law and the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The total amount of fines in recent months is approaching $1.5 billion. This signals that the EU's tightening control over major technology platforms continues, and the privacy of location data remains a focal point for regulators.

The DPC's decision has direct implications for the advertising market. Location data is one of the key targeting parameters in performance advertising. Restrictions on its collection and processing force platforms to rethink their targeting strategies and increase transparency toward users.

Marketers should take note of the trend: collecting geodata without explicitly informing users is increasingly resulting in multi-million sanctions. Data processing transparency is turning from an optional requirement into a mandatory condition for operating in the EU market.