Google faced a backlash by the European consumer groups as they filed a new privacy complaint against the tech giant. The company has been alleged for using deceptive design, misleading choices and unclear language when consumers sign-up for a new Google account in order to encourage more extensive and invasive data processing.
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Contrary to its claims, the tech giant is thwarting consumers who want to better protect their privacy, said consumer groups under the coordination of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).
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They are now taking action on suspected breaches of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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The complainers have stated that Google is unfairly steering consumers toward its surveillance system when they sign up for a Google account, instead of giving them privacy by design and by default as required by the GDPR.
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"Contrary to what Google claims about protecting consumers' privacy, tens of millions of Europeans have been placed on a fast track to surveillance when they signed up to a Google account," said Ursula Pachl, Deputy Director-General of the BEUC.
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"It takes one simple step to let Google monitor and exploit everything you do. If you want to benefit from privacy-friendly settings, you must navigate through a longer process and a mix of unclear and misleading options," Pachl said in a statement.
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In short, when you create a Google account, you are subjected to surveillance by design and by default.
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"Instead, privacy protection should be the default and easiest choice for consumers," the BEUC noted.
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A consumer can choose to create a Google account voluntarily or be obliged to create one when they use certain Google products and services.
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For example, they must create an account when they buy a smartphone that uses Google's Android system, which almost seven in 10 phones worldwide (69 per cent) depend on if they want to download apps from the Google Play store.
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The consumer rights groups said that with only one step (Express personalisation), the consumer activates all the account settings that feed Google's surveillance activities.
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Google does not provide consumers with the option to turn all settings 'off' in one click.
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If consumers want to activate the more privacy-friendly options, this requires "Manual personalisation" -- five steps with 10 clicks and grappling with information that is unclear, incomplete, and misleading, the consumer groups alleged.
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"Regardless of the path the consumer chooses, Google's data processing is un-transparent and unfair, with consumers' personal data being used for purposes which are vague and far-reaching," they argued.
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Google was yet to react to the privacy complaint.
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"Google is a repeat offender. It is more than three years since we filed complaints against Google's location-tracking practices and the Irish Data Protection Commissioner in charge has still not issued a decision on the case," said Pachl.
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"This case is of strategic importance for which cooperation among data protection authorities across the EU must be prioritised and supported by the European Data Protection Board," she added.
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So Google faced a backlash by the European consumer groups as they filed a new privacy complaint against the tech giant. Consumer activates all the account settings that feed Google's surveillance activities.
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