The European Union (EU) is expected to announce legal action against Google for allegedly violating EU law by failing to give users a choice to opt out its new privacy policy, according to The Guardian.
The French data commissioner, known as the ‘CNIL’ or Article 29 Working Party that has authority concerning protection of individual personal data, is anticipated to require that Google undo its recent privacy policy changes. The effect could be far-reaching, not only in Europe, but worldwide as governments scrutinize Internet privacy policies and their impact on users.
In March 2012, the CNIL sent a detailed questionnaire to Google (read it below) containing 69 questions about the impact of Google’s changes to the Internet company’s privacy policy that month. The CNIL was invited by the EU in February to investigate what impact, if any, those modifications could have on European citizens.
The CNIL’s anticipated announcement tomorrow is expected to detail the results of its investigation, along with corresponding legal recommendations.
The EU currently appears to devote far greater legal and regulatory resources to protecting the individual privacy and user data of citizens in member countries than does the United States for its citizens and their data.
Do you think that U.S. federal and state regulators should devote as much attention to the privacy, integrity, and use of Americans’ data as the EU does for people under its authority?
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