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Google has received a major €890 million (around $1 billion) fine in Europe. This fine was issued for flouting European Union rules aimed at reining in the power of Big Tech. That’s what the European Commission (EC) said.
Google just received a huge fine in Europe, and it’s the first received under the DMA
The biggest fine within this package, the €460 million fine, was given to Google by the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It was issued for favoring its own services in shopping, hotels, transport, and sports in search results.
The second, slightly smaller fine of €430 million, is targeted at Google’s restrictions on its app store Google Play, which prevents app developers from steering users free of charge to cheaper offers on rival stores and websites.
These are the first fines that Google received under the DMA, but the fifth and sixth overall for anti-competitive practices. Overall, Google has received fines of €10.38 billion in the last 20 years, approximately.
“The DMA is to make sure we have a fair and level playing field. With these decisions we want to make sure there is competition,” said the EU tech chief, Henna Virkkunen.
Google has 60 days to comply
Google has 60 days to comply with the EC’s orders to treat rivals in a fair and non-discriminatory manner, and to allow app developers to steer users away from its app store. Google criticized this decision.
Google President of GLobal Affairs, Kent Walker, said the following: “To comply, we are having to strip away real-time Search features Europeans love – like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants – and dismantle safety protections on Google Play” He also added: “This isn’t fair competition; it’s product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants, with European businesses and consumers taking the hit. Regulation should improve products, not make them worse.”
Google will likely avoid new fines as EU regulators lauded good progress in terms of Google’s adherence to the rules.
The post Google Just Got Hit With a Nearly $1 Billion Fine in Europe — Here's What It Did Wrong appeared first on Android Headlines.
