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Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has committed to giving users in Germany better control over their data following proceedings with the antitrust regulator.
In the future, users of Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) services will have a choice as to what happens to their data, how Google can use them and whether their data may be used across services, according to Andreas Mundt, president of the German antitrust body, known as the Bundeskartellamt.
“This not only protects the users’ right to determine the use of their data, but also curbs Google’s data-driven market power.”
We have appreciated the constructive engagement with the FCO as we worked to address their concerns in this case,” a Google spokesperson said by email. “The commitments outlined today continue this approach as we evolve our products to meet the expectations of users and regulators.”
Services such as Gmail, Google News, Assistant and Google TV are covered by the agreement, whereas other services, such as YouTube, Google Search and Google Play, are not.
Those services, however, are covered by Europe’s Digital Markets Act, which recently listed Google parent company Alphabet as a “gatekeeper,” along with Apple and Amazon.
The commitments from Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) concern situations where the company would combine personal data from one service with personal data from other Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) or non-Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) sources.
The Bundeskartellamt is also conducting further proceedings against Google (GOOG) (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Facebook (Meta) and Microsoft (MSFT).
