Google has agreed to take steps to stop “privacy-intrusive” ads related to information about users’ health, according to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner or Canada, which investigated claims from a man with sleep apnea that Google ads for related devices followed him on completely unrelated sites.

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Google actually has a policy in place for avoiding this kind of thing, but clearly it doesn’t always work, so the company has work to do to correct the situation.

Google, in its response (via Search Engine Land), noted that remarketing criteria and user lists are determined by advertisers directly, and that it requires all advertisers to agree to its policies, which prohibit interest-based ads based on “health or medical information” among other things. The company apparently acknowledged that “certain advertisers or third party buyers can use remarketing products in error.”

So in other words, Google doesn’t allow the kind of advertising in question, but doesn’t do enough to prevent it from happening. That is apparently about to change, at least in Canada.

Google, the privacy commissioner says, has committed to provide additional info to advertisers creating remarketing campaigns, increase monitoring for possible violations of its policy, offer more training to its own staff to address potential violations, and upgrade its automated review system. Google has agreed to “fully implement” all of this by June.

“We are pleased Google is acting to address this problem. Most Canadians consider health information to be extremely sensitive. It is inappropriate for this type of information to be used in online behavioural advertising,” says Interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier.

“As Canadians spend more and more time online, they create a digital trail that can reveal a great deal about a person,” Bernier added. “Organizations such as Google must ensure privacy rights are respected in this complex environment.”

The United States Federal Trade Commission aided the Privacy Commissioner in the investigation.

The revelation that Google has been serving interest-based ads to users based on sensitive information comes as the company not only faces privacy-related fines elsewhere in the world for unrelated issues, but also as the company has unveiled its own device aimed at actually determining specific health-related data from users.

Last week, Google announced that it has developed an electronic contact lens to help diabetics monitor their glucose levels. They’re currently in discussions with the FDA. Google’s reputation surrounding privacy-related issues will no doubt be a central point of discussion should these things come to market.

Google is also in the headlines for its recently announced acquisition of Nest, which is pending regulatory approval. The company makes smart thermostat and smoke alarm devices, and some have questioned what Google will do with the data from these.

Nest already told users, “Our privacy policy clearly limits the use of customer information to providing and improving Nest’s products and services. We’ve always taken privacy seriously and this will not change.”

Tony Fadell, the company’s CEO, also said at a conference that any changes that may be made in the future will be opt in, and that the company will be transparent about them.

Concerned users fear that Nest will fall under the veil of Google’s broad privacy policy, which enables it to use data from one of its products with its other products for reasons. This is the very policy which the company was fined over in France, though the company is appealing that.

While it didn’t specify any names, the Privacy Commissioner’s office said it will be looking into the practices of other networks in addition to Google.

Have you seen questionable ads based on your previous browsing habits? Let us know in the comments.

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