Google, Facebook face big fines in France

France's data privacy watchdog CNIL said on Thursday it had fined Alphabet's Google a record 150 million euros ($169 million) for making it difficult for internet users to refuse online trackers known as cookies, Report informs via Reuters.

Meta Platforms' Facebook was also fined 60 million euros for the same reason, the CNIL said.

Internet users' prior consent for the use of cookies -- tiny snippets of data that help build targeted digital ad campaigns -- is a key pillar of the European Union's data privacy regulation and a top priority for the CNIL.

"When you accept cookies, it's done in just one click," said Karin Kiefer, CNIL's head for data protection and sanctions. "Rejecting cookies should be as easy as accepting them".

In its statement, the watchdog said it had found that the facebook.com, google.fr and youtube.com websites didn't allow the refusal of cookies easily, citing Google's video-streaming platform.

The CNIL said the two companies had three months to comply with its orders or face an extra penalty payment of 100,000 euros per day of delay.

These include the obligation for Google and Facebook to provide French internet users simpler tools for refusing cookies, in order to guarantee their consent.

The CNIL said that while Google and Facebook provided a virtual button to allow the immediate acceptance of cookies, there was no equivalent to refuse them as easily.

CNIL's previous record fine in 2020 also targeted Google and amounted to 100 million euros.