The French data privacy agency CNIL said on Thursday (6) that it fined Alphabet’s Google a record €150 million (US$169 million) for making it difficult for users to opt-out of online trackers known as Cookies.
Meta Platforms’ Facebook was also fined €60 million ($67.8 million) for the same reason, the CNIL said.
Users’ prior consent to the use of cookies – small pieces of data that help build targeted digital advertising campaigns – is a fundamental pillar of the European Union’s data privacy regulation and a top priority for the CNIL.
“When you accept cookies, it’s just one click away,” said Karin Kiefer, CNIL’s head of data protection and sanctions. “Rejecting cookies should be as easy as accepting them.”
In its statement, the agency said it had discovered that the websites facebook.com, google.fr and youtube.com — which belongs to Google — did not allow cookies to be refused easily.
The CNIL said companies have three months to comply with instructions or face an extra €100,000 per day late penalty.
This includes the obligation of Google and Facebook to provide French internet users with simpler tools for refusing cookies, in order to guarantee their consent.
“People trust us to respect their right to privacy and keep them safe. We understand our responsibility to protect that trust and are committing to future changes and to working actively with the CNIL in light of that decision,” said a Google spokesperson.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The previous record fine imposed by the CNIL in 2020 also hit Google and was €100 million.
At the time, the CNIL found that Google’s French sites did not seek prior consent from visitors before cookies were saved on computers, and the company did not provide clear information to the agency about how it intended to use them.
Kiefer of the CNIL said the problems have since been resolved.
In 2020, the CNIL tightened consent rights over ad trackers, stipulating that websites in France must keep a record of users’ refusing cookies for at least six months.
In addition, users should be able to easily reconsider any initial agreement on cookies via a web link or icon that should be visible on every page of the site.
Reference: CNN Brasil
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