South Korean authorities to probe Google’s new privacy policy

South Korea’s communications regulator,  Korea and Communications Commission (KCC), has reportedly begun investigating whether Google’s new privacy policy — new rules that combine a user’s information across its services — violates local laws.

Yonhap News reports that the investigation will determine whether the search giant’s new measures will violate domestic data protection and open use of the Internet, before the new changes come into effect on March 1.

Google recently submitted an open letter to Congress to address concerns over its new policy, noting that the company wanted to make them “simpler and more understandable,” by condensing more than “60 product-specific privacy policies into [its] main Google one,” using 85% fewer words.

Google also says it wants to make more information to users when they are signed into Google services.

It is believed the KCC started its probe after it received word from Google Korea that the company would begin combining information for its users, stating that it would not exclude South Korea from the global change. According to Yonhap News, Google will allow users to opt-out but they will not be able to use Google for email or Web searches.

Sources have said that if Google has violated local laws, the KCC will take action. The move would mirror warnings by European authorities that asked Google to delay launching its new policy so they could look into how it affects users.