Recently, there has been an increase in warnings due to the incorrect use of Google services on company websites.
What are Google Fonts?
This is an interactive directory with well over 1,000 fonts that are available for free use. There are two options for using them on your own website:
- You embed the fonts on your own server so that no data is transferred.
- The fonts are downloaded online via a Google server, which means that personal data is transferred to the US when the website is accessed.
As you know, the Privacy Shield agreement with the US was declared invalid by the ECJ in 2020. Since then, any data transfer to the US without consent is a violation of the GDPR. This includes not only Google Fonts, but also Google Maps, icon fonts, and social media services from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
The current focus is on Google Fonts and their correct integration on your website or server. The Munich Regional Court has not expressly prohibited the online use of these Google Fonts – only with the appropriate consent. The following applies: Only the dynamic integration of US web services such as Google Fonts into a website is a violation of data protection law without the user's consent (LG Munich, judgment of January 20, 2022, Ref. 3 O 17493/20). The transfer of the IP address violates the right to informational self-determination under Section 823(1) of the German Civil Code (BGB) and Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
What should you do?
We advise you to act quickly and have your website checked by us. During this check, we will not only go through Google Fonts, but also all other channels!
Call us now at 0511 – 640706 38 or write to us at pole-position[at]drive.eu
