The Italian Antitrust Authority said today it is investigating Google and its parent company Alphabet over its request for consent.
The Antitrust Authority opened an investigation as it says the request for consent Google submits to its users to the linking of the services “may constitute a misleading and aggressive commercial practice”.
“This request would in fact appear to provide no relevant information – or would provide it inadequately and imprecisely – as to the real effect that consent has on Google’s use of personal data of users,” the competition authority said.
“The same critical issues would arise with respect to the variety and number of Google’s services for which “combination” and “cross-use” of personal data may occur, and with respect to the possibility of modulating (and thus limiting) consent to only some services.
“The Authority also alleges that Google may use techniques and methods for requesting consent, and also for setting up the mechanisms for obtaining consent itself, which could condition the freedom of choice of the average consumer.
“Indeed, the customer would be induced to take a commercial decision that he/she would not have taken otherwise, by consenting to the combination and cross-use of his/her personal data among the plurality of services offered”.
The Antitrust Authority has opened several big name investigations over the last 12 months including, TikTok, Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), plus the fashion houses Dior and Armani.
