Tech fines in France
Every major technology penalty in this directory issued in France, sorted by size. Amounts are shown in their original currency with a USD approximation, alongside the regulator and current appeal status.
11 penalties · ≈ $2.1B imposed
11 penalties
Google · 2021
Google fined €500M over news-copyright bargaining
France's competition authority fined Google for failing to negotiate in good faith with news publishers over payment for news snippets under the EU's neighbouring-rights rules.
Apple · 2020
Apple's €1.1B French distribution fine, cut to €372M
France's competition authority fined Apple over anticompetitive agreements with premium resellers that froze the reseller market and kept prices aligned. On appeal the fine was cut to €372M.
Google · Gmail · 2025
CNIL fines Google €325M over Gmail ads and cookies
The CNIL's largest cookie penalty against Google covered advertising inserted directly into Gmail inboxes without consent, alongside continued cookie-consent failures.
Google · 2021
Google fined €220M for ad-tech self-preferencing (France)
France's competition authority found that Google favoured its own ad server and ad exchange in online display advertising, and accepted binding commitments alongside the fine.
Google · 2022
CNIL fines Google €150M over hard-to-refuse cookies
The CNIL found that Google made refusing cookies far harder than accepting them, a dark-pattern design that did not amount to valid consent.
Apple · 2025
Apple fined €150M over App Tracking Transparency
France's competition authority found that Apple's App Tracking Transparency consent design over-burdened third-party apps while Apple's own advertising faced lighter requirements, an abuse of its dominant position.
Google · 2020
CNIL fines Google €100M over advertising cookies
The CNIL fined Google for placing advertising cookies on users' devices without prior consent and without adequate information.
Microsoft · Bing · 2022
CNIL fines Microsoft €60M over Bing cookies
The CNIL fined Microsoft for depositing advertising cookies on bing.com without consent and for making it harder to refuse cookies than to accept them.
Google · 2019
CNIL fines Google €50M over Android ad consent
France's CNIL issued one of the first major GDPR fines, finding that Google lacked transparency and valid consent for ads personalisation during Android device setup.
Amazon · 2020
CNIL fines Amazon €35M over advertising cookies
The CNIL fined Amazon for placing advertising cookies on amazon.fr visitors' devices without consent or adequate information.
Apple · 2020
Apple fined €25M over undisclosed iPhone throttling
France's DGCCRF fined Apple for failing to tell consumers that iOS updates could slow older iPhones to manage aging batteries, part of the wider Batterygate episode.