nternet giant Google has been told to improve privacy for its clients by France's data protection agency, CNIL, or face fines. The agency says Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain plan similar action.

France's data protection watchdog on Thursday gave Google three months to bring its practices into line with French privacy law or risk an initial fine of 150,000 euros ($201,100).

CNIL president Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin said by the end of July all of the six countries within the [EU data protection] task force - formed in April - will have begun coercive action against Google.