Breaking News: Google Fined €2.4bn for Abusing Market Dominance in Shopping Comparison Service
In a landmark ruling, Europe's top court has upheld a €2.4bn fine against Google for unfairly promoting its shopping recommendations over rivals in search results. This decision marks the end of a long-standing case that began in 2009 and has since escalated into a series of high-profile clashes between Google and international regulators.
The European Commission, which initially levied the fine in 2017, found that Google had effectively monopolized the online price comparison market by blocking competitors from gaining traction. This ruling sets a precedent for the numerous antitrust cases Google is currently facing in the EU.
To date, Google has accrued fines totaling €8.2bn from the Commission, including penalties for abusing its dominant market position in shopping results, promoting its own apps on Android software, and blocking adverts from rival search engines. The tech giant is also under investigation for favoring its own goods and services in search results under the Digital Markets Act.
If found guilty, Google could face a fine of up to 10% of its annual turnover. This development underscores the increasing scrutiny and regulatory challenges faced by tech giants in the digital age, with far-reaching implications for their business practices and market dominance. Stay tuned for more updates on this unfolding story.