Google users in UK will soon lose EU data protection: Report
Post-Brexit, Google plans to move UK user accounts out of the control of European Union privacy regulators, and will place them under U.S. jurisdiction instead, where privacy protections are weaker, reports Joseph Menn at Reuters.
The shift, prompted by Britain's exit from the EU, will leave the sensitive personal information of tens of millions with less protection and within easier reach of British law enforcement. The change was described to Reuters by three people familiar with its plans. Google intends to require its British users to acknowledge new terms of service including the new jurisdiction.
Ireland, where Google and other U.S. tech companies have their European headquarters, is staying in the EU, which has one of the world's most aggressive data protection rules, the General Data Protection Regulation.
Google has decided to move its British users out of Irish jurisdiction because it is unclear whether Britain will follow GDPR or adopt other rules that could affect the handling of user data, the people said.
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Exclusive: Google users in UK to lose EU data protection - sources
.@google never has to follow any government regulations because they are more powerful than any government.
Good luck, UK. https://t.co/Dd6oazD5Cd
- Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) February 19, 2020
"The shift, prompted by Britain's exit from the EU, will leave the sensitive personal information of tens of millions with less protection and within easier reach of British law enforcement." https://t.co/Y4b1GoWfnf
- blmohr (@blmohr) February 19, 2020
Sure, we lose data protection but BLUE PASSPORTS! https://t.co/qJfccNK0LK
- Iain Thomson (@iainthomson) February 19, 2020
This sounds inconsistent with the approach towards Switzerland https://t.co/B2dBrZnU8N
- Paul-Olivier Dehaye (@podehaye) February 19, 2020
Wow. So very #BrexitShambles-predictable. But wow. https://t.co/bHbb5lSBLr
- Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) February 19, 2020
Taking back control by losing control. https://t.co/25rni0JZUB
- Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) February 19, 2020
[via techmeme.com]