Brussels (Web Desk): The European Union has imposed a fine of €890 million (approximately US$1 billion) on Google, alleging abuse of its dominant position in the search engine market and violations of competition laws.
According to a statement issued by the European Commission, Google unfairly used the dominance of its search engine to give greater prominence to its own shopping, travel, gaming, and other online services, while displaying rival companies' services lower in search results. The Commission said this practice violates fair competition principles.
The Commission stated that the action breaches the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), under which major technology companies are required to treat their own services and those of competitors in a transparent, fair, and non-discriminatory manner.
The statement further alleged that Google also prevented app developers on the Google Play Store from informing users about alternative payment methods, allowing the company to continue collecting its fees. According to the European Commission, this practice also violates the Digital Markets Act.
The Commission has directed Google to comply with the ruling within 60 days, warning that failure to do so could result in additional financial penalties.
Responding to the decision, Google said the ruling would negatively affect European consumers and businesses. The company stated that it is reviewing the decision.
This is not the first time the European Union has imposed a substantial fine on Google. In 2018, the company was fined US$4.7 billion over competition law violations related to the Android operating system, while in 2017, it was fined US$2.8 billion over alleged abuse of dominance in the search engine market.