EU Hits Google With $1 Billion Fine Over Its Play App Store And Search
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion) on Thursday after saying the tech giant violated digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine to direct consumers to its own services and apps at the expense of rivals.
This was Brussels’ last major crackdown on Big Tech, which saw the world rein in some of the world’s biggest companies, from Silicon Valley to Beijing.
Google had recently lost its appeal. $4.5 billion antitrust fine It is a practice imposed by the EU to restrict competition and reduce consumer choice through the dominance of the mobile Android operating system.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive body and top antitrust enforcer, said the bloc acted in the interests of consumers once it came into force. Antitrust investigation into Google.
“The best products should succeed because they are better, not because they belong to the company that operates the search engine. And European consumers have the right to be told by app developers where to sign up for the best offers, even if the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the Commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition.
Kent Walker, Google’s Head of Global Affairs, called the penalty “product degradation caused by a small group of self-serving complainants” and that it will have a negative impact on European businesses and consumers.
He said the EU’s Digital Markets Act forced Google to “eliminate real-time search features that Europeans love, such as instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights and restaurants, and remove security protections on Google Play.”
Brussels has stepped up pressure on US and Chinese tech giants despite the risk of incurring the wrath of President Donald Trump. Attacked digital regulations of the 27-nation bloc and vowed retaliation if American tech companies were punished.
EU explains seven technology giants of the world — Amazon, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance — as “gatekeepers” who control consumer access.
“Businesses in the EU have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have an obligation to ensure a level playing field, and consumers have the right to choose cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said.
