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Top Court Orders Google to Reveal User Data Shared with 3rd Parties

Written: 2023-04-13 14:22:49Updated: 2023-04-13 15:47:27

Top Court Orders Google to Reveal User Data Shared with 3rd Parties

Photo : YONHAP News

The Supreme Court has ruled that Google should disclose what personal data of South Korean users it shared with a U.S. intelligence agency and other third parties.

The top court issued the ruling on Thursday, partially upholding a previous decision by a lower court on a suit filed by four human rights activists against Google and Google Korea.

However, the top court overturned the lower court’s ruling that permitted exceptions to the information disclosure in accordance with U.S. laws, handing the case back to the Seoul High Court.

In its ruling, the top court stressed the need to review whether nondisclosure obligations under foreign laws comply with South Korea’s Constitution and laws, as well as whether the need to protect personal information sharply outweighs the need to respect foreign legislation.

The four human rights activists filed the suit in 2014, claiming that Google provided their personal information to the PRISM surveillance program developed by the U.S. National Security Agency.

Google, for its part, has continuously underlined that the lack of servers in South Korea exempts it from compliance with South Korean law.

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