Google has been fined €403 million by Ireland's Data Protection Commission following a six-year investigation into how the company processed users' location data. The fine stems from complaints by seven European consumer organisations alleging that Google manipulated users into agreeing to constant mobile phone tracking and used their location information for targeted advertising without adequate consent or awareness. This case is significant because location data is considered highly invasive, potentially revealing sensitive information about individuals' religious beliefs, political views, health conditions and sexual orientation.

The DPC investigation examined Google's handling of location history, web and app activity data between May 2018 and February 2020, finding that users may have been unaware their location was being used to influence advertisements or infer personal details about them. The €403 million fine represents the fourth-largest penalty imposed by the Irish regulator, which oversees all major US tech companies with EU headquarters in Ireland; it follows previous fines of €1.2 billion against Meta, €530 million against TikTok, and €405 million against Instagram. Google has been ordered to bring its practices into compliance with EU data protection regulations within six months, though the company states that its policies have been significantly updated since 2019.