Google Warns EU Rules Could Expose Search Data and Android to Hacking Risks
Google raises alarm over EU competition plans
Google’s top privacy and security leaders are warning that proposed European Union rules aimed at opening up Search and Android to rivals could create new opportunities for hackers and fraudsters, according to interviews and documents shared with WIRED.
The concerns center on two ongoing cases under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the bloc’s landmark competition law adopted in late 2022. European Commission officials are expected to make final decisions next month on how Google should share search data and how much access other services should get to Android.
Heather Adkins, Google’s vice president of security engineering and a founding member of the company’s security team, said the proposed changes could quickly lead to more fraud on Android in the EU. She said Google fears that, if implemented as described, criminals would move fast to exploit any new openings.
Adkins also said the search-data proposal could make it easier for bad actors to de-anonymize people’s queries and turn data shared with smaller firms into a target for cybercriminals.
Clash between competition and security
The Digital Markets Act is designed to force major tech companies to open up markets they dominate, making it easier for competitors to enter. In April, the European Commission published initial details and closed consultations on how Google should comply, including sharing anonymized search data with rivals and giving other AI services greater access to Android.
Google has become increasingly vocal in opposing parts of the plan it says would not work. Some competitors, meanwhile, argue the privacy and security concerns have been overstated. Independent researchers and academics who responded to the consultations have also weighed in, pointing to both possible benefits and technical flaws.
The European Commission acknowledged WIRED’s request for comment but did not respond to questions about Google’s concerns.
As the July 27 deadline for final decisions approaches, the debate underscores the tension at the heart of the DMA: regulators want to reduce the power of Big Tech, while Google argues that opening its systems could create fresh security risks for millions of users.
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