Overview

• The Berlin court ruled that Google must explicitly list which of its services process user data during account setup, citing lack of transparency.
• The case was brought by Germany’s consumer advocacy federation (vzbv), challenging Google's compliance with GDPR requirements for informed consent.
• The court found that Google's 'Express' and 'Manual Personalization' options did not allow users to make informed, granular choices about data usage.
• Google's argument that listing all services would harm transparency due to excessive text was rejected by the court as insufficient justification.
• The ruling, issued on March 25, 2025, and published on May 16, 2025, is not yet enforceable as Google has filed appeals, delaying its legal finality.