Britons back probe into Google’s privacy policy

MOST Britons are concerned ab out online privacy and back a probe into internet giant Google’s data policies, campaigners say .

More than two-thirds of respondents to a survey by privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch said they were concerned about online privacy. Nearly one-quarter are “very concerned”.

Seven in 10 respondents said European data watchdogs were right to investigate Google’s new privacy policy, launched last March, which lets it pool user data from services ranging from YouTube to Gmail. Users are unable to opt out.

Two-thirds of those surveyed said regulators should do more to force Google to comply with European privacy directives.

Big Brother Watch director Nick Pickles said yesterday: “The message from consumers is clear – regulators were right to investigate Google’s new privacy policy and now they need to do more to f orce the company to comply with the law.”

Google was given four months to change its approach, with 12 recommendations published by regulators. But last week the French authority leading the probe – CNIL – said “Google did not provide any preci s e and e f f e c t i ve answers,” and regulators will now meet tomorrow to discuss how to proceed.

A Google spokesman said: “We have engaged f ul l y wit h t he CNIL throughout this process, and we’ll continue to do so going forward.”