Google is facing fresh questions from Sweden’s privacy watchdog over whether its collection of location history from mobile devices complies with Europe’s new privacy laws.  Just as France’s handed Google a record €50 million fine for violating the EU’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Sweden’s data protection authority (DPA), Datainspektionen, sent Google a letter asking it to explain whether its consent forms in Location History privacy settings complied with GDPR.  The letter to Google is part of Sweden’s investigation into a complaint made by a Swede on behalf of a consumer rights organization. The consumer raised concerns about Google data collection on his Android phone after US researchers found that turning off Location History on a smartphone doesn’t actually stop Google from storing location history.  Researchers criticized Google for offering consumers a false option to turn off “Location History”.  Currently, Google states that having Location History on benefits users by enabling “personalized maps, recommendations based on places you’ve visited, help finding your phone, real-time traffic updates about your commute, and more useful ads.” Google says that “Location History is turned off by default for your Google Account and can only be turned on if you opt in” and that users can “pause” Location History whenever they want from Activity controls.

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