The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a Statutory Inquiry into Google’s processing of location data and transparency surrounding that processing.

The Data Protection Commission, in its role as Lead Supervisory Authority for Google, says it has received a number of complaints from various Consumer Organisations across the EU, in which concerns were raised with regard to Google’s processing of location data.

The DPC has commenced an own-volition Statutory Inquiry, with respect to Google Ireland Limited, pursuant to Section 110 of the Data Protection 2018 and in accordance with the co-operation mechanism outlined under Article 60 of the GDPR.
"The Inquiry will set out to establish whether Google has a valid legal basis for processing the location data of its users and whether it meets its obligations as a data controller with regard to transparency," the Irish Data Protection Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.

The probe adds to more than 20 investigations by the Irish authority into big tech companies, including Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and Apple Inc. One case concerns WhatsApp’s transparency around data sharing with Facebook and its wider group of companies. The probe into Twitter follows a breach reported to the regulator in January 2018.

The Irish watchdog last year opened another probe into Google and how the search giant processes user data in advertising transactions. It’s trying to determine whether Google’s practices are in line with EU strict privacy laws, which mandate transparency and the minimization of data collection.

The Irish authority on Tuesday also opened a separate probe into dating app Tinder.