Google Android users need to agree to new privacy policy

It has emerged that millions of UK residents who use Google smart phones are unable to avoid the fundamental and invasive changes of the firm's latest privacy policy.

Google tore up more than 60 privacy policies on Thursday and replaced them with a single document, despite calls for it to be closed down from European privacy regulators, who said it was confusing and that there were strong doubts it was lawful

"Our preliminary investigation shows that it is extremely difficult to know exactly which data is combined between which services for which purposes, even for trained privacy professionals," the French regulator said in a letter to Google on behalf of several national watchdogs, including Britain's Information Commissioner.

Google's software is installed on smart phones made by HTC, LG and Samsung among others companies.

Google said Android users concerned by the new privacy policy could choose not to log in and not to use some of their handsets' features.

"This updated privacy policy, like the old privacy policy, affects users signed into their Google Accounts on Android phones, the same way as users signed into their Google Accounts from a desktop computer," a spokesman said.

"Users can choose not to log into an Android phone with a Google Account and still use it to place phone calls, send text messages, browse the web, and use certain Google applications that do not require account authentication such as Google Maps" he said.

"Some Google applications such as Android Market and Gmail require authentication with a Google Account," he added.