Google Fonts and third-party services: understanding the risk

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read

What did the court decide?

On 20 January 2022, under case number 3 O 17493/20, the Landgericht München I ruled that passing the IP address to Google when loading Google Fonts without consent violates the general right of personality. The operator had to stop and pay €100 in damages. The court argued that the fonts can also be embedded locally without sending data to Google.

What followed from it?

After the ruling, letters demanding damages were sent to website operators en masse. Public prosecutors and courts later took action against some of these serial letters because they were considered an abuse of rights. The basic problem remains, though: anyone who sends data to third parties without reason needs a legal basis for it.

How do I check my website?

1. 1

   Open the site in your browser and open the developer tools, then go to the Network section.

2. 2

   Reload the page.

3. 3

   Search for addresses like fonts.googleapis.com or fonts.gstatic.com.

If they appear, your site loads fonts from Google. With website builders and templates this often happens unnoticed.

How do I embed fonts safely?

Download the font files, put them on your own server and load them from there. Most fonts, including Google's, may be used this way. With website builders it depends on whether the provider supports it. For WordPress there are plugins for this, but a template that loads fonts locally from the start is better.

Which other services transmit data?

The same principle applies to many embedded services:

• embedded maps
• embedded videos
• fonts and icons from third-party servers
• chat windows and booking widgets
• statistics and advertising pixels

For each of these you need a legal basis, and often consent. The usual solution: load only after a click, or replace with a link.

Does this also help loading time?

Yes. Every third-party server is an extra connection that costs time. Locally loaded fonts and fewer third-party services generally make the site faster.

This article is a guide, not legal advice. If you have received a letter with demands, have a professional check it before you pay.

At freeehouse all fonts sit on our own server, and third-party services like maps or videos load only after a click. We don't charge for building the website, you only pay for hosting, cheaper than today. How freeehouse works

How do I embed maps and videos without risk?

• Maps: instead of an embedded map, an image of the area with a link to the map view. Or load the map only when the visitor clicks Show map, with a short notice that data goes to the map provider.
• Videos: a preview image with a play button, and the video loads only after the click. Many platforms also offer an enhanced privacy mode.
• Fonts and icons: store locally and load from your own server.

That way the site stays usable without consent, and anyone who wants to see the map or video decides for themselves.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• LG München I, Urteil vom 20.01.2022, Az. 3 O 17493/20
• Art. 6 DSGVO Rechtmäßigkeit der Verarbeitung, accessed 23 October 2026
• § 25 TDDDG Schutz der Privatsphäre bei Endeinrichtungen, accessed 23 October 2026

Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.

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