Google Remarketing Ads Broke Canada Privacy Laws, Concedes To Revamp Ad Review System

Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner has found Google in violation of Canada’s privacy rights for the use of sensitive health history in remarketing campaigns. The finding comes after an investigation spurred by a Canadian man who complained that his private health information was being used by Google to retarget him with ads for sleeep apnea devices after he visited sites with information about those devices.

In the process of the investigation, Canada’s privacy watchdog also found Google’s automated ad review system to have “demonstrable shortcomings”. As a result, Google has agreed to overhaul the system by June 2014.

For more on this case and the potential ramifications for advertisers read the full story on our sister site, Search Engine Land.