French court orders Google to display fine for privacy breach

Google is certainly challenging the $150,000 euro ($204,000 USD) fine imposed on it by the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (National Commission on Informatics and Liberties). The commission, known as CNIL, is a public service watchdog group. The fine was imposed on Google due to their practice of tracking and storing user data in ways CNIL believe do not respect user privacy. In addition, Google’s French version, google.fr, will have to display a sanction notice on the splash page for 48 hours.

“We’ve engaged fully with the CNIL throughout this process to explain our privacy policy and how it allows us to create simpler, more effective services,” a Google spokesman said in an e-mailed statement.

“We will comply with the order to post the notice, but we’ll also continue with our appeal before the Conseil d’Etat.”

Google is currently fighting the fine before the Conseil d’Etat (State Council), France’s high court for administrative issues. Google had sought a suspension to the notice of sanction pending the outcome of their appeal stating that it would harm their reputation. The court disagreed that the sanction would cause them any undue harm which means the tech giant will have to wear the cyber-dunce hat as ordered.

As of this writing, the sanction is up at google.fr and is located below the search box. It reads that Google has been fined for breaches of the “Informatics and Freedom” law. The term informatics deals with the processing and dissemination of information. It is most unusual to see a tech giant made to stand with its head in a corner. Hee hee hee.

On The Web:
French court orders Google to display fine for privacy breach
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/07/us-google-privacy-france-idUSBREA161BS20140207?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=10109