Ministry of Justice files administrative proceeding against Google Brasil for privacy violation
The National Consumer Secretariat of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security filed an administrative proceeding against Google Brasil after receiving a complaint from the Federal Prosecution Service.
The Department of Consumer Protection and Defense reported that there are indications of privacy violation of Brazilian consumers in the analysis of the content of personal emails sent by Gmail without the user’s express consent. The administrative proceeding will verify if there was violation of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Code and the Brazilian Internet Bill of Rights, which guarantee the inviolability of personal data and determines that users’ information can only be obtained by judicial order or consent of the concerned individual.
Google will be summoned to present an administrative defense, but has already provided a press release stating that it does not use the information available in Gmail for personalization of advertisements and that it complies with Brazilian law.
In January 2019, the French government imposed to Google a fine of $ 57 million for violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the case of the administrative proceeding pending in Brazil, the company could be fined up to R$ 9.7 million.