EU launches full investigation into Google’s Fitbit acquisition over health data fears

Fitbit’s health-tracking business was losing money when Google swooped in to buy it.

The European Commission is launching a full investigation into Google’s acquisition of Fitbit. EU regulators are worried that the deal will entrench Google’s position as a market leader in online advertising by giving the search giant access to data collected from Fitbit’s health tracking hardware that can be used for personalized advertisements.

“The data collected via wrist-worn wearable devices appears ... [to] be an important advantage in the online advertising markets,” wrote the commission in a press release. “By increasing the data advantage of Google in the personalization of the ads it serves via its search engine and displays on other internet pages, it would be more difficult for rivals to match Google’s online advertising...

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