Ireland's Data Protection Commission begins probe against Google over GDPR infringement

Ireland will investigate whether Google's processing of personal data through its online Ad Exchange violates EU privacy laws

Ireland ' s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has started a formal investigation into Google over "suspected infringement" of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.

The action comes almost a year after the GDPR was introduced.

The Irish DPC, Google ' s lead data regulator in the EU, will investigate whether Google ' s processing of personal data through its online Ad Exchange (DoubleClick/Authorised Buyers advertising programme) is in violation of EU privacy laws that cover the sharing of personal data of internet users.

Google ' s Ad Exchange programme enables participating firms to bid to advertise to users based on their browsing history.

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According to browser maker Brave, Google ' s DoubleClick/Authorised Buyers advertising system is currently active on more than 8.4 million websites. Google bought the company in 2007. It now plays a major role in helping Google earn billions in revenue from ads served on publishers ' websites.

The system works by broadcasting visitors ' personal data, including their locations, inferred interests, religious and political inclinations, and other information to more than 2,000 companies, billions of times in a single day.

"A statutory inquiry pursuant to section 110 of the Data Protection Act 2018 has been commenced in respect of Google Ireland Limited ' s processing of personal data in the context of its online Ad Exchange," the Irish DPC said in a statement.

Article 5(1)(f) of the GDPR requires technology firms to tightly control the personal data of users. The law also makes it mandatory for the companies to properly inform users about what would happen to their data.

The Irish DPC has the authority to impose heavy fines on Google, and to also order it to stop using users ' personal data in ad products.

The DPC decided to commence the investigation in response to multiple complaints against Google, including the one filed last year with regulators in the UK and Ireland. In that complaint, Johnny Ryan, chief policy officer at privacy-focused web browser Brave, and two other privacy advocates accused Google and some other digital advertising firms of misusing people ' s data in violation of EU ' s privacy policies.

When internet users visit a website, according to Ryan, their confidential and personal data is broadcast to hundreds of companies to help them place targeted ads, and this all happens without the knowledge of internet users.

Earlier this year, Ryan and his team created a Polish digital privacy group to file their complaint in Poland. On 20th May, similar complaints were sent to data protection agencies in a number of other countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium.

A spokesman for Google said the company would "engage fully" with the investigation and it welcomes "the opportunity for further clarification of Europe ' s data protection rules for real-time bidding".

"Authorised buyers using our systems are subject to stringent policies and standards," the spokesperson added.

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