Google has come under fire for appearing to circumvent upcoming EU data protection regulations to maintain profits. The US-based industry giant has been criticised for failing to match the principles laid out in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

To compensate for the introduction of GDPR, Google has devised a plan to protect and preserve current data-handling processes when it comes to handling third party data. Google uses third-party data on more than one billion internet users, and concerns have been raised recently on the impact of GDPR on the firm. In theory, the regulation could pose a danger to Google – the company dominates the online advertising scene and its ability to target advertising largely comes from the data they collect.

For publishers, this is nothing more than an attempt for Google to absolve itself of responsibility for gaining consent of data use; instead placing the responsibility on publishers and users.

Protecting Profits

How Google will operate under GDPR has been a question raised on a number of occasions recently. In March, Google announced that it will require publishers to take extra steps in obtaining consent from users for the use of advertisement services. As part of its approach to dealing with GDPR, the firm has asked to be a co-controller of data, along with publishers.

Google monetises its services through the placement of ads on its online platforms – as well as through technology embedded on third-party publisher websites and apps. It allows advertisers to place ads on its services, such as Google Search, Gmail and Youtube.

Posting on the AdWords blog, Google stated: “We will be updating our EU consent policy when the GDPR takes effect and the revised policy will require that publishers take extra steps in obtaining consent from their users.”

The idea of joint control is far from popular with publishers, for whom first-party audience data is critical to their product and business sustainability. They allege that the underlying reason behind Google’s application to become a co-controller is that under GDPR, a controller is the company that essentially rules the roost – Determining how personal data will be processed and handled.

Publishers and proponents of GDPR claim this does not reflect the principles of the regulations, which focus firmly on giving users greater control over their personal data. By protecting the way it collects user information from advertisers and publishers, Google is essentially circumventing GDPR – Protecting upwards of $20 billion in ad revenue in the process.

Publishers ‘In The Lurch’

Google appears to be delegating the responsibility for consent of data use away from itself and onto both publishers and customers. A recent study on Google’s GDPR stance commissioned by Digital Content Next (DCN) said:

“Google’s vague pronouncement leaves publishers in the lurch and appears to be designed to distract EU regulators away from Google’s own activities while inappropriately attempting to transfer the GDPR’s heightened consent burdens to Google’s publisher customers.”

The report’s analysis concluded that “the consent structure proposed by Google fails to meet the transparency, specificity and granularity standards required by the GDPR for the purposes of valid end user consent.”