Image copyright
Reuters
The EU wonders if Google’s proposed acquisition of Fitbit will harm competition or give it access to too much personal data.
Fitbit makes physical activity tracking watches that monitor the user’s heart rate and activity levels.
A group of 20 consumer groups and privacy advocates have called for the acquisition of Google to be blocked.
Google said it would not use Fitbit data to target advertising and that it would be “transparent” about the data collected.
He announced that he was buying Fitbit at a loss of $ 2.1 billion (£ 1.68 billion) in November 2019.
The move would help Google expand its wearable business and offer its own brand smartwatches to rival the Apple Watch.
‘Intimate information’
But some are concerned that Google already has a large amount of personal information about many people who use its products.
As part of its campaign against the acquisition, Privacy International said: “We do not believe that any company is allowed to accumulate this very intimate information about you.”
EU regulators will decide before July 20 whether to allow the deal or initiate an investigation.
They have sent detailed questionnaires to several of Google and Fitbit’s rivals, asking if the acquisition will put them at a disadvantage.
Australia’s competition authority has also said it may have concerns about the deal and will make a decision in August.
“This deal is about devices, not data,” Google told Reuters news agency.
“We believe that the combination of Google and Fitbit’s hardware efforts will increase competition in the sector.”
