The CNIL has just imposed a fine of 60 million euros on Microsoft for non-compliance with the GDPR law on its Bing search engine. A sanction which has the merit of existing, but which should not panic the American giant which wishes to buy Activision-Blizzard for 69 billion dollars.
Another one who doesn’t care about cookie management
After Discord last month, it is Microsoft’s turn to be sanctioned by the National Commission for Computing and Liberties (CNIL). The reason, poor management of cookies on its web browser named Bing.
Following several checks between September 2020 and May 2021, the CNIL confirmed that Bing had placed cookies on many devices without the users’ consent. Also, it was much more complex to refuse cookies than to accept them.
A common practice which is now strictly prohibited, given that it has the effect of discouraging the user and therefore of forcing him in some way to accept cookies in order to continue browsing quickly.
The fine amounts to 60 million euros. An amount that may seem daunting, but in reality is not very restrictive for a company as powerful as Microsoft. This is precisely the biggest problem that European security authorities have with GAFAM.
However, if Microsoft does not make changes within three months, it could subsequently be fined €60,000 per day of delay. Once again, not sure that this worries him more than that, even if the requested changes will certainly be applied in the future.
Via