Google Is Found Using Hidden Webpages To Send User Data To Companies

According to new evidence submitted for an investigation into personal data collection by Google in the European Union, the search giant appears to be sharing personal user data with advertisers. The company is accused of relaying this information to advertisers by using hidden webpages that let it circumvent the privacy regulations of the EU.

The evidence was submitted to the Data Protection Commission of Ireland, the primary watchdog over Google in EU, by privacy-focused browser maker Brave’s chief policy officer Johnny Ryan. This submission was reported in a Wednesday report by Financial Times.

Ryan was reported to say that he discovered Google using a tracker that contains web browsing info, location, as well as other user data and sending it to advertisers through webpages which “showed no content.” This way, companies can buy ads to match a person’s profile on Google as well as their web activity from profiles from other firms. This action goes against the ad buying rules of Google itself, the Financial Times said.

On Wednesday, the search giant responded, saying that it does not serve personalized advertising or send bidder bid requests without user permission.

The process Ryan laid out could be “cookie syncing” or “cookie matching,” a practice in the ad industry that matches ads on many sites in corresponding to users’ browsing history. On a developer page of Google about cookie matching, it explains this process along with privacy principles that the search giant follows, like not letting the information be collected by companies.

Back in May, the Data Protection Commission began investigating Google’s practices after receiving a complaint from Brave, accusing the company of violating the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU.