Dansk
19. januar 2022

THE CNIL fines Google and Facebook 210 million Euros for cookie violations

On 31st December 2021 the French Data Protection Authority (the “CNIL”) imposed a €150,000,000 fine on Google and a €60,000,000 fine on Facebook (now Meta) for violations of French rules on the use of cookies.

The CNIL found that Google and Facebook had infringed Article 82 of the French Data Protection Act, by not providing an easy way for internet users to refuse cookies.

The websites allow users to accept cookies with only one click, but it takes several clicks to refuse cookies. The CNIL found that this affects the website users’ freedom of consent, as it influences users’ choice in favour of consent.

The CNIL has ordered the companies to change the websites, so they comply with French law within three months. Failure to do so will result in fines of €100,000 per day of delay.

The magnitude of the fines reflects the numbers of data subjects concerned, the amounts of data the websites have collected, as well as the profits obtained by the companies from advertising revenues made possible by the collected data.

Jørgen Pedersen
Advokat (H), partner (Attorney)
Gitte Nedergaard
Advokat (H), partner (Attorney)
David Kjær Hermansen
Advokat (Attorney)
Andreas Peter Olesen
Advokat (Attorney)
Sofie Thøgersen
Advokat (L) (Barselsorlov)
Michela Korsholm
Advokatfuldmægtig
Alexander Hoyer Olsen
Advokatfuldmægtig
Marie Hviid Pedersen
Juridisk konsulent
Jeanette Stage Pedersen
Juridisk konsulent
Puk Jespersen
Advokatsekretær
Gitte Meyer
Secretary
Trinh Nguyen
Secretary
Maja Fog Matthiasen
Advokatsekretær
Line Nørgaard Andersen
Advokatsekretær
Pia Bidstrup
Chief accountant
Alvin Lee Kuiper
IT-supporter
Mogens Tougaard
Sales manager
Jonas Duedahl Kristiansen
Salgschef, Fyn og den sydlige del af Jylland
Mikail Özer
Advokatstuderende (stud.jur.)
Janni Føste Andersen
Advokatstuderende (stud.jur.)
Niclas Vito Böttcher Neigaard
Advokatstuderende (stud.jur.)
Victor Larsen
Advokatstuderende (stud.jur.)
Rasmus Fredensborg Madsen
Advokatstuderende (stud.jur.)
Dudal Webdesign