The European Commission fined Google €890 million for two violations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This is the largest fine imposed since the DMA came into force, and it concerns Google's abuse of its dominant market position.
The first violation relates to Google's search engine, which gave preference to its own services in search results. This included blocks with offers from shops and hotels that appeared above competitors. For this violation, the company was fined €460 million.
The second violation concerned Google Play, where app developers could not freely inform users about the possibility of more advantageous purchases outside the platform. This restriction cost Google €430 million.
Now the company must bring its services into compliance with the DMA within 60 days, otherwise it risks further fines. Google disagrees with the decision, claiming it will degrade the quality of its services and reduce security. However, the European Commission insists that competition must be fair and not dependent on control over infrastructure.
This case underscores that regulators are prepared to act toughly against the largest digital platforms to ensure a level playing field for all market participants.
Comments
0No comments yet.
Sign in to join the discussion.