Google’s $2.1 billion bid to acquire fitness tracker company Fitbit Inc. is now under fire from a total of twenty advocacy groups. Advocacy groups from the United States, Europe, Latin America and other places have unanimously signed a statement urging the EU to be careful of the takeover citing privacy and competition concerns.
The advocacy groups argued that the acquisition will add Google’s influence in the digital markets.
“Past experience shows that regulators must be very wary of any promises made by merging parties about restricting the use of the acquisition target’s data,” the group warned.
With the acquisition, advocacy groups say, Google will be able to acquire sensitive date on Fitbit users such as their sleep patterns and more then combine it with their own data.
In a statement to Reuters, Google argues that the fitness market is already overcrowded. And that their entry in the market will add the much-needed competition, said a company’s spokesperson to Reuters.
They also argue that the Fitbit deal is about devices, and not data.
Google’s Fitbit acquisition in November last year has come under scrutiny from various authorities around the world. The first one is the EU – of course they don’t just sit and watch things happen – which is set to decide on the deal on July 20.
Australia’s competition authority has also raised concerns about the deal and they are set to make a final decision in August.
