French culture minister snubs Google's new lab launch over privacy row

France's Culture Minister Aurelie Fillipetti reportedly cancelled his visit to the launch of Google's new lab in Paris, over a row about privacy.

Fillipetti was scheduled to attend the search giant's latest Cultural Institute Lab opening but cancelled at the last minute.

The minister said that he doesn't want to legitimise an operation that fails to address a number of outstanding questions they have with Google, referring to a row between the search giant and European governments over transparency in collecting personal data, stuff.co.nz reports.

France and some other European countries think Google is not doing enough to stop the unauthorised collection of personal data through its online outlets.

According to the report, after Fillipetti cancelled, the junior minister for technology, Fleur Pellerin, attended the event.

The Cultural Institute Lab is meant as a brick-and-mortar space for cultural figures to meet and where people can view modern art.

The report said that the lab is seen as a gesture by Google toward France's cultural traditions, in a country that has challenged the company over its book archiving activities, its use of French news content on search pages, and its use of personal data.