The French data protection regulator fined Google and Shein on Wednesday for failing to comply with the cookie law, France24 reports.
The two companies, which have tens of millions of users in France, received two of the largest fines ever imposed by the National Commission for Informatics and Liberties (CNIL): 150 million euros for Shein and 325 million euros for Google.
The CNIL ruled that Google and Shein did not provide users with free and informed consent before installing advertising cookies on their browsers. The companies can still appeal the decision.
Cookies are small files that can collect data about users' online activity. They are a key element of online advertising and the business models of many large platforms.
According to the CNIL, the Shein platform collected “enormous“ amounts of cookie data. The company did not obtain consent or did not provide users with sufficient information and offered inadequate options for withdrawing consent.
Following the investigation, Shein updated its systems to comply with the CNIL's requirements under French and European law. The company told AFP it would appeal the fine, which it considers “totally disproportionate to the nature of the alleged violations” and “given current compliance“.
Google said it would review the decision and had already complied with the CNIL's previous requirements.
Google was previously fined €30 million for violating Australian antitrust laws.