Italy’s antitrust commission has begun an inquiry into the online search giant Google and its parent company Alphabet for alleged unfair economic practices concerning user data.
The request for consent that Google sends to its users to connect its multiple services “could constitute misleading and aggressive commercial practice”, the watchdog said.
The competition authority stated in an email that the probe is concentrated on the calibre of information offered to users when “linking” to their services.
The Italian Competition Authority, also known as AGCM, said it is looking into the consent request that Google makes to clients regarding “linking” its services.
According to the watchdog, this request appears to provide users with no relevant information about the impact of their consent on the personal data they submit with Google, or it delivers this information “inadequately and imprecisely”.
Newsng gathered that Google may restrict the data accessible for ad targeting if it is compelled to alter its permission procedures, which might lower the efficacy of campaigns.
Cost per acquisition, for instance, can go up. This might therefore force advertisers to allocate their budget more carefully.
The Authority further claims that Google might employ strategies and procedures for both asking for consent and putting in place the procedures for getting consent, which might restrict the typical consumer’s freedom of choice.
Google “will examine the case and work with the authorities,” the company said in a written statement.
Newsng gathered that the investigation’s findings may affect how the biggest internet companies create permission processes and inform EU users about their data practices.
The investigation takes place amid European regulators’ increased scrutiny of big internet companies’ business practices, particularly their use of personal data and any possible misuse of their market dominance.
We earlier reported Google has scrapped its intentions to buy CRM expert HubSpot, killing a possible merger that may have helped Google Cloud and been valued at billions of dollars.
