Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Google Ireland €403 million after concluding an inquiry into Google’s processing of location data between 25 May 2018 and 4 February 2020. Acting as lead supervisor following complaints from several European consumer groups including BEUC, the DPC found multiple GDPR breaches: unlawful and unfair processing in Web & App Activity and Location History; failures of accountability for Location Accuracy; transparency shortcomings across all three features; and excessive retention of location data in Web & App Activity and Location History. Commissioners Des Hogan, Dale Sunderland and Niamh Sweeney adopted the decision and ordered Google to bring processing into compliance within six months.
The decision highlights that location data can reveal highly sensitive personal information and that users could have been unaware their movements were used to target ads or infer interests, with prolonged retention worsening loss of control. Web & App Activity is an account setting that collects activity across Google services (including location when enabled); Location History is an opt‑in service that builds a Timeline and stores maps of users’ movements even when services aren’t actively used; and Location Accuracy improves Android positioning for all devices regardless of account status. The DPC thanked other EU supervisory authorities for cooperation and will publish the full decision in due course.
Summary generated by AI from the linked article. hn.today is not affiliated with Hacker News or Y Combinator.
Meta's Muse app collects extensive user data, including bank accounts and emails, while primarily focusing on surveilling users rather than providing helpful assistance. Despite its impressive web browsing capabilities, the app's main purpose appears to be data gathering for AI training. (wired.com)
The US threatens to ground all Iranian airlines worldwide starting Wednesday, targeting companies and airports that service them. This move is part of a broader economic campaign against Iran, risking international travel disruptions for Iranian carriers. (aljazeera.com)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Trump administration will not provide AI leaders with a liability shield, emphasizing that humans are responsible for AI actions. He also highlighted that AI developers should take responsibility themselves rather than rely on government protections. (cnbc.com)
The Yin family donated over $4.4 million to California politicians, including Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris. FBI files link family patriarch Chei Chen Yin to suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang and interactions with Chinese government influence efforts. (cbsnews.com)
Muse leaked 6.8 GB of internal runtime files, revealing a Codex CLI repair agent and detailed documentation on an ESP32 smart-home bridge called Meta Home Link. The files included integrations, runtime environments, and internal frameworks used by Muse for app building and user interaction. (twitter.com)
The U.S. American Copyright Protection Act now includes VPN providers with over 100,000 users as intermediaries that can be ordered to block pirate sites. The bill requires these providers to prevent U.S. users from accessing foreign piracy sites, raising questions about technical implementation. (torrentfreak.com)
Today's best Hacker News stories, summarized and screenshotted, one email a day.