As pressure grows for technology companies like Apple and Google to adjust how their phones and devices gather data, Europe seems to be where the new rules are being determined.

Last year, Google generated a storm of controversy in Germany when it had to acknowledge it had been recording information from unsecured wireless networks while compiling its Street View mapping service.

Then, last week, regulators in France, Germany and Italy said they would examine whether Apple’s iPhone and iPad violated privacy rules by tracking the location of users.

Also, reports emerged last month that the Dutch police had obtained information from TomTom, a maker of popular satellite navigation devices, while setting up speed traps, prompting concerns by users and an apology from TomTom.

The companies all said there was nothing sinister about their activities, though Apple said it would issue a software update limiting the time that location data was kept to seven days. None of the information, the companies said, is particularly sensitive from the point of view of personal privacy, and they claim it will help them to deliver better services in many cases.

To address concerns about data protection, Viviane Reding, the European justice commissioner, said in a speech Tuesday that she would propose extending unionwide rules about breaches of privacy to online banking, video games, shopping and social media.

The rules require phone companies and Internet service providers to inform customers of any data breach “without undue delay.”

“European citizens care deeply about protecting their privacy and data protection rights,” Ms. Reding said in a separate statement.

“Any company operating in the E.U. market or any online product that is targeted at E.U. consumers should comply with E.U. rules.”

via Europe at Forefront of Digital Privacy Rights – NYTimes.com.