France slaps google with massive fine over gmail ads

Paris: France has imposed a massive fine on Google for violating its data privacy laws by showing personalized ads within Gmail without user consent, according to international media reports.

The French data protection authority, CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés), stated that Google’s Gmail ads were displayed using tracking cookies and personal data, breaching privacy regulations in the country.

This case focuses on Gmail’s use of targeted advertising and tracking technologies inside users’ inboxes, allegedly without obtaining proper consent. If upheld, this would be CNIL’s largest-ever fine against a tech company.

French Gmail users have long raised concerns over ads that resemble regular emails, claiming these ads cause confusion and violate their privacy. These complaints eventually led to the official investigation by the CNIL.

Although such ads are a standard feature of Gmail’s free version, regulators argue that displaying them without explicit user approval goes against France’s strict data privacy laws and undermines user trust in the platform.

As a result, Google now faces a hefty penalty of €525 million. The case is being closely watched as it could set a precedent for how tech giants handle consent and personalized advertising in Europe moving forward.