Google pledges not to apply Fitbit user statistics for centered commercials

Google's Fitbit purchase is being probed with the aid of the EU over records privacy issues.

MICHAEL ALLISON

14 Jul 2020

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Source: Joe Maring / Android Central

What you want to realize

Google has pledged not to use person facts from its Fitbit buy to target ads.

Consumer advocacy organizations expressed situation that the agency could use its purchase to shore up its ads commercial enterprise, prompting an investigation through EU antitrust regulators.

Google bought Fitbit in 2019 for $2.1 billion, however authorities probes have slowed finalization.

After Consumer advocacy companies urged closer scrutiny of Google's Fitbit acquisition, the EU commenced to take a tougher observe that deal. The number one difficulty, as in line with the advocates, become that Google would use Fitbit's facts to greater effectively set up ad concentrated on and in addition its dominance in the digital advertisements region. A new document from Reuters indicated that Google might be able to keep away from antitrust probes on its Fitbit deal if the organisation pledged to now not use consumer information to target ads. Google has now made that dedication., leaving the EU's regulators until July 20 to just accept or carry out a more thorough probe.

Reuters mentioned the pledge this week, (thru CNET):

"This deal is about gadgets, no longer statistics. We respect the opportunity to paintings with the European Commission on an method that safeguards consumers' expectations that Fitbit tool facts won't be used for advertising," Google stated in an emailed declaration.

Reuters suggested last week that this kind of facts pledge may in all likelihood help Google secure EU approval for the deal.

Google hardly has a monopoly in the wearables area, and if it can convince the EU that it might not be the usage of its Fitbit purchase to shore up those regions where it does have a monopoly (see - Chrome, ads), it simply might be sufficient. The company has also been clean that its purchase of Fitbit become intended to assist building up its Wear OS business, something that has been struggling to make an impact in the marketplace to date.

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"The wearables area is surprisingly crowded, and we agree with the mixture of Google's and Fitbit's hardware efforts will growth competition inside the sector, reaping benefits clients and making the subsequent generation of gadgets better and extra low-priced," a Google spokeswoman instructed Reuters.