Partner Robert deBrauwere Speaks to Law360 About EU Demands For Full Disclosure of Google Privacy Practices
Pryor Cashman Partner Robert deBrauwere was interviewed for the February 21, 2013 Law360 article “Google Unfazed By EU's Toothless Privacy Threat.” The article discusses recent reactions by Europe's privacy regulators warning to take action against Google Inc. for allegedly ignoring repeated demands for better disclosure of its data collection practices.
According to the article, a recent revision to Google's privacy policy, allowing the company to combine and track user information across all its platforms, prompted data protection officials from the European Commission and European Union member states to recommend the search engine giant improve its data retention procedures, provide precise retention periods and clarify how data is shared across its services.
In October 2012, the regulators gave Google four months to address their recommendations and bring its practices into compliance with EU law, but officials allege the company has failed to do so and now they are threatening to take action before summer. Nevertheless, many predict the Internet giant, and others that collect user data, will ignore such warnings as long as the regulators lack the ability to level hefty fines.
deBrauwere, who co-chairs Pryor Cashman’s Digital Media Practice Group and is experienced in the areas of digital media, social media compliance and intellectual property, told Law360 “[Transparency] is of particular concern, given the tremendous amount of information that can be gleaned about users when data is combined across many services, including search, user-generated content sites, email and social networking activities.”
To read the article in its entirety, please click here.
