Google LLC – Complaint Upheld (Finland, 2020)
General GDPR enforcement action
This case relates to broader data protection obligations, not specifically to cookie or consent banner compliance. It is not included in cookie statistics or the Risk Calculator.
Finland's data protection authority found that Google should have removed outdated search results about a person's past arrest warrant. The information was no longer relevant, as the warrant had expired and the person had served their sentence. This decision highlights the importance of keeping online information current and accurate.
What happened
Google did not fully remove outdated search results about a person's expired arrest warrant upon request.
Who was affected
The person who was previously the subject of an arrest warrant and whose outdated information appeared in Google search results.
What the authority found
The Finnish DPA decided that Google should have removed the search results because the arrest warrant was no longer valid, making the information outdated and unnecessary.
Why this matters
This case emphasizes the right to have outdated personal information removed from search results, reinforcing the importance of accuracy and relevance in online data. Website operators should ensure they have processes to update or remove outdated information when requested.
GDPR Articles Cited
National Law Articles
Pursuant to Article 17(1) GDPR, the data subject had requested Google LLC (the controller) to remove several search result links from Google Search because they led to outdated information about the data subject. The controller had only removed some of the links, rather than implementing the request in its entirety. The controller stated that the search result links led to online content, the main subject of which was the arrest warrant issued against the data subject. The controller argued that it had a substantial legitimate interest in keeping the information available to ensure the safety of those dealing with the data subject. The data subject claimed that they had already served their prison sentence in full and that the arrest warrant had ceased to be valid since April 2011. Consequently, the information was no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was originally processed. The data subject emphasised that the information about the warrant caused them harm, as it was both inaccurate and outdated. The DPA considered that since the arrest warrant was no longer valid, the public no longer had a reason to inform the police of their sightings of the data subject. Therefore, due to the passage of time, the availability of the information could no longer be considered justified. The DPA also emphasised the importance of the statutory retention period for the arrest warrant. According to [https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2019/20190616#L5P34 Section 34(2)(4) of the Finnish Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Police], data concerning an arrest warrant processed for the purpose of finding, monitoring, surveillance or protection of individuals are erased three years after the cancellation or expiry of the warrant or prohibition. On the basis of the information gathered, the DPA concluded that the information on the arrest warrant against the data subject was no longer of importance to society. As a result, and in accordance with Article 58(2)(c
Outcome
Complaint Upheld
A data subject complaint that was upheld by the DPA.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for Google LLC in FI
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Google LLC - Finland (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
Last updated: