Google and digital advertising firms were hit with new privacy complaints in six EU countries on Thursday over the bidding process of selling ads to potential advertisers, according to Reuters. The real-time bidding process collects people’s browsing history and broadcasts to companies so they can auction and place ads.
- Since 2018, complaints have been filed in 15 EU countries over real-time bidding systems, the core of today’s online advertising industry, allegedly breaching Europeans’ privacy rights.
- The complainant countries note the collection of browsing history through the bidding process may reveal intimate personal data, and consumer’s consent is not sought in some cases.
- The civil society groups in the EU have urged privacy bodies in the six countries to partner with lead supervisory bodies in Ireland and Belgium, which are also looking into similar complaints’
- Google has defended itself, saying it requires publishers to obtain consent for personalized advertising to use its systems.
Google’s stock is currently declining. GOOGL: NASDAQ is down 0.48%
