Regulate Google: Brits demand greater privacy online

By Tony Hudson

The majority of Britons want stronger action taken against Google to better protect their personal data and online privacy, according to new research.

European data regulators are preparing to investigate the company a year after changes were made to its privacy policy without an opt-out for users.

According to the research, 71% of Brits agree with the proposed action and 66% would support even stronger action being taken.

The research also indicates 68% of Brits were concerned about online privacy and almost half believed the gathering of large amounts of information by companies like Google to be harmful.

Campaign group Big Brother Watch said the results provided a clear message.

"Regulators were right to investigate Google's new privacy policy and now they need to do more to force the company to comply with the law", director Nick Pickles said.

"If regulators don't get a grip of the situation we risk people losing trust in the digital economy and feeling they are not in control of their personal information."

The privacy policy at the centre of the issue was launched in March last year and allows Google to combine data from all of its services, which include YouTube, Gmail and Google+.

The new policy was criticised by European regulators who warned Google to change its approach by February 18th.

"Google did not provide any precise and effective answers" in time, French authority leading the investigation said.

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy policy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.