Google fined €403m by Ireland's data watchdog for secretly tracking users' location to target ads

From the Newshound archive · first published 21 September 2026 · last updated 22 September 2026.

Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Google €403m (£345m) after concluding that the tech giant processed users' location data unlawfully, unfairly and without transparency. The inquiry began after seven European consumer groups filed complaints and covered Google's handling of location data between May 2018 and February 2020. Users could have been tracked to places of worship, hospitals and political demonstrations without knowing their data was influencing the adverts shown to them. Google has six months to bring its practices into line or face further action.

Location data could expose users' religion, health conditions, sexual orientation and political views, Irish regulators warned.

It is the fourth-largest fine the DPC has ever issued — the watchdog has previously hit Meta with a €1.2bn penalty.

Google said the case concerns 'historical policies that have since been updated' and claimed it has 'significantly evolved' its practices since 2019.