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Security Week 2017

Google's $2.73 Billion Fine Demonstrates Importance of GDPR Compliance

By Kevin Townsend in Security Week on June 27, 2017

Not everyone thinks that this anti-trust fine will provide a benchmark for future GDPR fines. Dr Monica Horten, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, stresses the fundamental difference between the laws. "With this Google fine," she said, "this is a corporation abusing its dominant market position. The underlying motivation is about deliberately seeking to gain market advantage, and simultaneously disadvantaging its competitors. It was a deliberate, proactive move to cut out competition.

"GDPR fines," she continued, "will be imposed by national regulators responsible for data protection in Member States. The GDPR gives national regulators a range of measures they can take before they resort to a fine. With GDPR, the root is more likely to lie in some form of corporate management failure, either through neglect or making false economies and cost-cutting."


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About Iptegrity

Iptegrity.com is the website of Dr Monica Horten, independent policy advisor: online safety, technology and human rights. Advocating to protect the rights of the majority of law abiding citizens online. Independent expert on the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users.  Published author, and post-doctoral scholar, with a PhD from the University of Westminster, and a DipM from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.  Former telecoms journalist,  experienced panelist and Chair, cited in the media eg  BBC, iNews, Times, Guardian and Politico.