The French privacy authority Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) has fined Google EUR 100 million and Amazon 35 million for placing cookies without permission.
Cookies are small files used to identify users that can be stored on the device of a website visitor. According to the GDPR privacy law a website may use essential cookies needed for functioning without permissions. To put non-essential cookies on a visitors computer like advertising cookies, you need to ask permission.
The CNIL concluded after research that the Google.fr and Amazon.fr websites placed cookies without consent and without a visitor being able to do anything about it. Furthermore the visitors were not properly informed about the cookie placement and its purpose. In Google's case, an advertising cookie remained active even after a visitor objected to placement.
In addition to the fine, the two companies have been given three months to stop their illegal cooking practices. If they keep failing to comply, the CNIL will claim a further EUR 100 000 per day of the infringement.
Sources:
- https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/10/france-fines-google-120m-and-amazon-42m-for-dropping-tracking-cookies-without-consent/
- https://www.nu.nl/tech/6095780/google-en-amazon-krijgen-100-miljoen-en-35-miljoen-boete-na-plaatsen-cookies.html
