The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has imposed a fine of €403 million (approximately $463 million) on Alphabet. This penalty, the fourth-largest issued by the DPC under GDPR, concerns the processing of user location data between May 25, 2018, and February 4, 2020.
The investigation focused on three features: web and app activity, location history, and location accuracy. Regulators determined that Google failed to provide sufficient transparency regarding how location data was collected, stored, and utilized for advertising, while also maintaining data for unreasonable periods.
The inquiry originated from complaints filed by European consumer rights groups, including the Norwegian Consumer Council, and was formally launched in 2020. Google has been granted a six-month window to ensure its data processing practices fully comply with GDPR requirements.
This penalty follows a €890 million fine levied against Google by the European Commission in July 2026 for anti-competitive practices. With this latest ruling, the total amount of penalties imposed on the company by European regulators has now surpassed €10 billion.
