Google, Facebook face big privacy fines in France: What you need to know

French data regulator the CNIL is set to fine Google Euro 150 million and Facebook Euro 60 million for violating EU privacy rules.

In its statement, the watchdog said it had found that the facebook.com, google.fr and youtube.com websites didn't allow the refusal of cookies easily, citing Google's video-streaming platform.

"When you accept cookies, it's done in just one click," said Karin Kiefer, CNIL's head for data protection and sanctions. "Rejecting cookies should be as easy as accepting them".

The CNIL said the two companies had three months to comply with its orders or face an extra penalty payment of 100,000 euros per day of delay.

It is not the first time that the French privacy regulator has used EU's e-privacy rules to target Big Tech.

In December 2020, the CNIL fined Amazon and Google Euro 35 million and Euro 100 million for cookie violations under the e-privacy rules. The agency also fined Google Euro 50 million under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Google is still fighting the earlier case before the Council of State. The company is likely to oppose these new fines and go to the French top court again.