France’s data privacy watchdog CNIL said on Thursday it had fined Alphabet’s Google a record EUR 150 million (roughly Rs. 1,265 crore) for making it difficult for Internet users to refuse online trackers known as cookies.
Meta Platforms’ Facebook was also fined EUR 60 million (roughly Rs. 505 crore) for the same reason, the CNIL said.
“The CNIL has found that the facebook.com, google.fr, and youtube.com websites do not allow to refuse cookies as easily as it is to accept them”, the watchdog said in a statement, also citing Google’s video-streaming platform.
Google News Showcase, Use of Personal Data Being Investigated in Germany
The authority said the two companies had three months to comply with its orders or face an extra penalty payment of EUR 100,000 (roughly Rs. 85 crore) per day of delay.
These include the obligation for Google and Facebook to provide French Internet users simpler tools for refusing cookies, in order to guarantee their consent.