Tech giants Google and Facebook have been fined multi-million dollars by France's data privacy watchdog. The tech giants have been accused of making it difficult for internet users to refuse online trackers or cookies.

Google and Facebook fined for cookie breaches

The authority said that a company in a dominant position is subject to a particular responsibility, that of not undermining competition.

France fines Google USD 268 million for unfair practices in online ads

France's competition authority has fined Google $167 million for unclear advertising linked to web searches and resorting to anti-competitive behaviour.

In a strongly worded statement, the French authority asked Google to clarify the operating rules of its Google Ads advertising platform and the procedures for suspending the accounts of certain advertisers.

"Google holds an extraordinarily dominant position in search-based advertising, with a market share of between 90 and 100 per cent, said &nbsp;Isabelle de Silva, the chief of the French authority, adding,"when you have great power, you also have great responsibilities".

The competition body sought clear rules from Google and said that it could not be applied in "an erratic way".

"Uncertainty about the rules framework for advertisers may have discouraged the development of innovative sites", the competition authority said.

The development comes as Google faces backlash in several European countries over tax and privacy concerns. &nbsp;Last month the search giant had informed that it had updated how it handled political ads.

The US search giant said its rules ban any advertiser, including those with political messages, from making demonstrably false claims. Google said it will also limit targeting of political ads to general categories such as age, gender, or postal code level location.

"It's against our policies for any advertiser to make a false claim, whether it's a claim about the price of a chair or a claim that you can vote by text message, that election day is postponed, or that a candidate has died," Google ads product management vice president Scott Spencer had said.&nbsp;

Google had said it would begin changes in Britain and throughout the EU by year-end and around the world year next year.

In March, the European Commission had fined Google $1.7 billion for blocking rival online search advertisers. The European Commission had said that the anti-competitive practice had lasted a decade.

"Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said while castigating the US company.

France's competition authority has fined Google $167 million for unclear advertising linked to web searches and resorting to anti-competitive behaviour. In a strongly worded statement, the French authority asked Google to clarify the operating rules of its Google Ads advertising platform and the procedures for suspending the accounts of certain advertisers.

France's competition authority has fined Google $167 million for unclear advertising linked to web searches and resorting to anti-competitive behaviour. In a strongly worded statement, the French authority asked Google to clarify the operating rules of its Google Ads advertising platform and the procedures for suspending the accounts of certain advertisers. "Google holds an extraordinarily dominant position in search-based advertising, with a market share of between 90 and 100 per cent, said Isabelle de Silva, the chief of the French authority, adding,"when you have great power, you also have great responsibilities". The competition body sought clear rules from Google and said that it could not be applied in "an erratic way". "Uncertainty about the rules framework for advertisers may have discouraged the development of innovative sites", the competition authority said. The development comes as Google faces backlash in several European countries over tax and privacy concerns. Last month the search giant had informed that it had updated how it handled political ads. The US search giant said its rules ban any advertiser, including those with political messages, from making demonstrably false claims. Google said it will also limit targeting of political ads to general categories such as age, gender, or postal code level location. "It's against our policies for any advertiser to make a false claim, whether it's a claim about the price of a chair or a claim that you can vote by text message, that election day is postponed, or that a candidate has died," Google ads product management vice president Scott Spencer had said. Google had said it would begin changes in Britain and throughout the EU by year-end and around the world year next year. In March, the European Commission had fined Google $1.7 billion for blocking rival online search advertisers. The European Commission had said that the anti-competitive practice had lasted a decade. "Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said while castigating the US company.

France fines Google $167 million over search engine ads

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time.

Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said.

The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used, in particular with regards to targeted advertising.

"People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We're deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

"We're studying the decision to determine our next steps."&nbsp;

The ruling follows complaints lodged by two advocacy groups last May, shortly after the landmark GDPR directive came into effect.

One was filed on behalf of some 10,000 signatories by France's Quadrature du Net group, while the other was by None Of Your Business, created by the Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems.

Schrems had accused Google of securing "forced consent" through the use of pop-up boxes online or on its apps which imply that its services will not be available unless people accept its conditions of use.

"Also, the information provided is not sufficiently clear for the user to understand the legal basis for targeted advertising is consent, and not Google's legitimate business interests," the CNIL said.

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time.

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time. Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said. The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used, in particular with regards to targeted advertising. "People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We're deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "We're studying the decision to determine our next steps." The ruling follows complaints lodged by two advocacy groups last May, shortly after the landmark GDPR directive came into effect. One was filed on behalf of some 10,000 signatories by France's Quadrature du Net group, while the other was by None Of Your Business, created by the Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems. Schrems had accused Google of securing "forced consent" through the use of pop-up boxes online or on its apps which imply that its services will not be available unless people accept its conditions of use. "Also, the information provided is not sufficiently clear for the user to understand the legal basis for targeted advertising is consent, and not Google's legitimate business interests," the CNIL said.

France uses new European Union data law to fine Google 50 million euros

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france fines-google

Google and Facebook fined for cookie breaches

France fines Google USD 268 million for unfair practices in online ads

France fines Google $167 million over search engine ads

France uses new European Union data law to fine Google 50 million euros