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Google Gets Consumer Service Ultimatum From German Consumer Groups

Posted by samzenpus on from the or-else dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Google received an ultimatum Thursday from German consumer organizations that want it to start answering questions from its users via email. The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZBV) has asked Google to sign an undertaking that it will provide customer service by responding individually to users questions sent by email, said Carola Elbrecht, VZBV's project manager for consumer rights in the digital world at the VZBV. Signing such a document would expose Google to fines if it breached the undertaking. On the other hand, said Elbrecht, 'If Google does not sign it, we're going to court.'"

6 of 351 comments (clear)

  1. You know... by MrDoh! · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That doesn't sound entirely unreasonable. If it pushes Google to have a bit more of a responsive front end to their customers, then... I'm ok with that. Though I'd also see Google's side of it if they insisted on a GMail/G+ account to prove they are a valid customer and not MS spam bots!

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    1. Re:You know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Sue them for breaking german law. The Telemediengesetz (German Teleservices Act) expressly demand that any service provider must provide direct contact methods.

    2. Re:You know... by lcam · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you have a gmail account, you are google's client and have agreed to their term of service. There is an exchange of benefits between you and Google even if money isn't directly exchanged. What matters is the exchange of consideration which is the equivalent of value.

      I would contend that if you had to click through any term of service you can rightly claim you are a customer.

  2. Re:I don't get it by Lundse · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It is not free. You are paying with your privacy and helping them build one of the largest and most interesting databases in the world. If they believe they have any right to do anything with any of your data, this must stem from a claim that there is some sort of contract. If the end user has no way to contact Google (beyond getting a formulaic donotreply-email), he or she has no way to force Google to uphold their end. Without such measures, the contact cannot be binding, and without any attempt to allow the user such measures, Google could even be acting in bad faith.

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  3. Re:Customer are people who pay money. by lennier1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's far from free. You simply pay with your personal information instead of your wallet.

  4. Re:Anything that states it has to be free? by andrewbaldwin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The annoying entitled freeloaders are simply asking for what they are entitled to under local laws.

    If Google (or anyone else) doesn't like it they're free to stop doing business in that locality; it is their choice to weigh up the benefits and costs of operating there but if they do choose to do so then they must abide by local laws.

    Are you saying to take into account the costs is not a valid thought process?

    I suspect that a company as big and successful as Google is well aware of the costs of doing business and, as they are continuing to operate there, have assessed them as being worth bearing.

    In a nutshell, if you work in country X you must obey the laws there - no matter how big or self important you see yourself; the cultural imperialism of your home country's attitudes to laws and business are quite frankly irrelevant. If I set up a business in the US deliberately flouting the laws (e.g. selling Cuban cigars) I'd expect to get some trouble from the law, even if my main offices were located in a separate country.