UK Joins Barrage Against Google's Privacy Policy

Google is facing a little July heat in the U.K. this week, as the Information Commissioner's Office there has ordered Google to update its unified privacy policy by September 20, or face fines of up to ?500,000 (approximately $745,000).

On the same day, the Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information issued a similar order to get the Internet search company in line with the regional German office's expectations for the privacy policy.

The problem with the privacy policy seems to be one that a lot of governments and their constituents are facing: the policy that Google has in place it too hard to understand.

"In particular, we believe that the updated policy does not provide sufficient information to enable U.K. users of Google's services to understand how their data will be used across all of the company's products," the ICO wrote in a statement.

Google's response to the ICO's order has been the same-old response they have always given: they are working with various government entities to comply with local laws and regulations. And they've had plenty of opportunity to trot out this line: last month, authorities in France and Spain issued similar warnings to Google.

This is not the first time Google has been pilloried for this issue?the company faced quite a bit of criticism in the press and even from U.S. lawmakers when the unified policy was implemented back on March 1, 2012.

Ironically, the unified privacy policy was meant to combine over 60 separate service's policies into one easier-to-use policy. Instead, even more questions have been raised.

How Google will ultimately react to these orders is another question yet to be answered. The fine amounts aren't really anything for Google to be worried about, so there's not much incentive for them to pay anything more than lip service to the various national entities' entreaties. But if Google ignores these privacy concerns too much, they could run the risk of civil action in the courtroom, something that will cost them much more in terms of time, money and ever-precious public relations.

Given the half the planet is looking askance at Google and other Internet companies for their alleged participation in the U.S. intelligence project known as PRISM, reputation is not a currency Google has a lot to spend.

Public privacy and data commissions might be nickel and diming companies like Google, but a major court battle?or worse, unfriendly legislation?is something that can get even Google's attention.

Source: http://readwrite.com/2013/07/05/uk-joins-barrage-against-googles-privacy-policy

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