Summary
- The EU accuses Google of breaking new Digital Markets Act standards.
- Regulators claim Google is still giving its own services—like Shopping, Hotels, and Flights—an unfair boost in search results.
- If found guilty of breaking the DMA, Google could face fines of up to 10% of its global revenue.
Back in 2017, Google landed in hot water when the European Commission hit it with a massive €2.42 billion fine for unfairly promoting its own shopping services over competitors in search results. That wasn’t the end of the story, though. Regulators have been keeping a close eye on Google ever since, and now, the tech giant is under fire again. This time, the EU is accusing Google of breaking two major rules, reigniting its ongoing battle with European regulators.
The EU said in a press release that Google’s recent changes to Search and the Play Store still don’t meet the standards of the new Digital Markets Act (DMA). Regulators have been digging into Google’s practices for months, and so far, they’re not convinced the company is playing by the rules.
Google Search is removing major features in the EU to avoid further DMA scrutiny
More plain blue links, less advanced features
The DMA aims to give smaller tech companies a fair shot and keep giants like Google from dominating the market. But the EU says Google’s attempts to follow the rules just aren’t cutting it. Since March 2024, regulators have been digging into different parts of Google’s business.
The Commission argues that the company is still giving its own services—like Shopping, Hotels, and Flights—an unfair advantage in search results, squeezing out competitors. On top of that, regulators are also looking into whether Google is limiting app developers from telling users about better deals outside the Play Store. The Commission argues that Google’s service fee for helping app developers land new customers goes beyond what’s reasonable.
Massive fines on the line
The Commission expressed concerns that Google’s current practices might be undermining the DMA’s goal of fostering a level playing field in the digital market. If found guilty of flouting the DMA, Google could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue. Repeat offenses could lead to even stiffer penalties.
Here’s how Google will comply with the DMA when it goes into effect in March
The EU is forcing Google to unlink its services if you want it to
Google isn’t taking these allegations lying down. In response to the EU’s claims, the tech giant insists its practices aim to improve user experience and warns that the Commission’s crackdown could backfire, potentially opening up security risks and slowing down innovation.
The Mountain View-based company says it’s willing to work with the Commission to sort things out, hoping to strike a balance between following the rules and keeping user experience and security intact.
