Google, Amazon slapped $163 million penalty for privacy breach in France

On December 10, French Privacy Watchdog CNIL slapped financial penalties of 60 million euros against tech giant Google and a separate 40 million euros fine against Google Ireland and an ditional 35 million euros on Amazon Europe (total of $163 million) for listing vertising cookies on users’ computers illegally.

CNIL’s restriction committee informed in an update that ncy imposed sanctions on search engine and online portal amazon for violating guidelines of French Data Protection Act, having sought prior permission for listing for users. Companies committed at least three breaches of Article 82 of French Data Protection Act, CNIL informed. 

French websites of firms breached Article 82 of France’s internet laws after y stored cookies and used m for vertising purposes without agreement from eir users or government. tech giants accumulated monetary profits without any transparency about targeted verts. information banner listed by companies, for instance, stated, "By using this website, you accept our use of cookies allowing to offer and improve our services."

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50 million users impacted

information was t only incomplete but also misleing as users wouldn’t decipher that cookies stored by firms will be used to display personalised s on ir computers. It also, as CNIL ted, devoid users of opting out of those s.

CNIL declared that companies failed to comply with legal obligations, ding that users were illicitly taken to ar website in case y ed on vertisements. As many as 50 million users were impacted, according to CNIL’s report. 

As a repercussion to violation of users' privacy, CNIL also threatened an ditional penalty payment of 100, 000 euros per day after it asked firms to equately inform individuals within three months about breach of privacy. operations related to use of cookies fall under "ePrivacy" directive, CNIL clarified, ding that ncy was legally and materially competent to control and sanction cookies for targeted vertisement. 

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