Google has warned that the EU’s plans to weaken its powers could expose user data

Europe’s push to take on Big Tech is growing, with the European Commission preparing to make an announcement Google’s new rules next month. The rules could see Google forced to play fair with its EU rivals, but the company is worried. Google is doing this not as a demonstration of its own problems, but as a real concern for the privacy of its users.

Heather Adkins, Google’s Senior Vice President of Security Technology, said Wired that the EU’s proposals could lead to serious security and privacy issues. Possible changes come in two forms. First, regulators want Gemini to be removed as the only integrated AI application on Android. This means allowing users to integrate other types of AI and giving them access to the Gemini system. Separately, the EU requires Google to share anonymous data with other companies.

“If it is used as described today, I think that after a short period of time on Android, we will see a significant increase in fraud in the EU,” said Adkins, who noted that these events could happen just a few weeks after the change.

Gemini’s unique role on Android devices provides access to application files, screen content, and voice communication. Adkins doesn’t go into detail here, but the implication seems to be that malicious actors could use these new techniques to launch malicious AI services that could steal data and compromise users.

Google has detailed consents and anonymous data sharing. According to the European Commission’s requirements, Google must provide anonymous data to competitors that are similar to what Google sees internally. This may include search, ranking, and click rates. This is important to Google search and has never been offered at this level of granularity before.