Italy’s Antitrust Agency fines Apple and Google for aggressive practices of data acquisition

Italy’s antitrust regulator, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has fined Apple and Google €10 million each their “aggressive” data practices.

Italy’s antitrust regulator, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has fined Apple and Google €10 million each their “aggressive” data practices and the lack of transparency on the use of customers’ personal data.

Both companies were fined due to violations of the Consumer Code for aggressive practices related to the acquisition and use of consumer data for commercial purposes.

Italy’s antitrust regulator has fined both Apple and Google €10 million each for what it calls are “aggressive” data practices and not providing consumers with clear information on commercial uses of their personal data during the account creation phase. 10 million euros is the maximum fine permitted according to current legislation.

“The Authority found that both Google and Apple did not provide clear and immediate information on the acquisition and use of user data for commercial purposes.” reads the press release published by the AGCM. “In particular, Google, both in the account creation phase, which is essential for the use of all the services offered, and during the use of the services themselves, omits relevant information that the consumer needs to consciously decide to accept that the Company collects and uses their personal information for commercial purposes. Apple , both in the phase of creating the Apple ID and on the occasion of accessing the Apple Stores (App Store, iTunes Store and Apple Books), does not immediately and explicitly provide the user with any indication on the collection and use of your data for commercial purposes, emphasizing only that data collection is necessary to improve the consumer experience and use of services.”

The Italian Authority pointed out that in the account creation phase, Google pre-sets the user’s acceptance of the transfer and/or use of their data for commercial purposes.

In the case of Apple, the IT giant was accused of acquiring consent to the use of user data for commercial purposes without providing the consumer with the possibility of a prior and express consent on sharing their data.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Apple)

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