Denmark is effectively banning Google’s services in schools, after officials in the municipality of Helsingør were last year ordered to carry out a risk assessment around the processing of personal data by Google.
In a verdict published last week, Denmark’s data protection agency, Datatilsynet, revealed that data processing involving students using Google’s cloud-based Workspace software suite — which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar and Google Drive — “does not meet the requirements” of the European Union’s GDPR data privacy regulations.
Specifically, the authority found that the data processor agreement — or Google’s terms and conditions — seemingly allow for data to be transferred to other countries for the purpose of providing support, even though the data is ordinarily stored in one of Google’s EU data centres.
Google’s Chromebook laptops, and by extension Google Workspace, are used in schools across Denmark. But Datatilsynet focused specifically on Helsingør for the risk assessment after the municipality reported a “breach of personal data security” back in 2020. While this latest ruling technically only applies to schools in Helsingør for now, Datatilsynet notes that many of the conclusions it has reached will “probably apply to other municipalities” that use Google Chromebooks and Workspace. It added that it expects these other municipalities “to take relevant steps” off the back of the decision it reached in Helsingør.
The ban is effective immediately, but Helsingør has until August 3 to delete user data.
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