The Fitbit acquisition would give Google as intimate information about users as how many steps they take daily, the quality of their sleep, and their heart rates.
“Past experience shows that regulators should be wary of any promises made by the merged parties to restrict the use of the acquisition target data. Regulators must assume that Google will in practice use the entire highly sensitive dataset, unique and currently independent of Fitbit in combination with theirs, “the groups said.
Australian and Canadian groups were among the signatories.
A Google spokeswoman said the tech wearables space was crowded.
“This deal is about devices, not data,” he said. “We believe that the combination of Google and Fitbit’s hardware efforts will increase competition in the sector.”
Australia’s competition authority said this month it may have concerns about the deal and would make a final decision in August.
EU antitrust regulators will decide before July 20 whether they should close the deal with or without concessions or open a longer investigation.
In Washington, Google is under antitrust investigation by the Justice Department, a congressional committee, and dozens of states for allegedly using its massive market power to harm smaller competitors.
(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Lisa Shumaker Edition)
