The European Commission has formally accused Google and its advertising business of antitrust violations. According to the regulator’s preliminary investigation, Google is suspected of abusing its dominant position in the digital advertising market and creating unfair conditions for competitors.
If Google is found guilty of violating EU legislation, it could face a fine of up to 10% of its global sales and may be forced to sell part of its business. This would be a significant blow to the search giant’s primary source of revenue and a rare occurrence in which the EU recommends such a measure during the preliminary phase of an investigation.
In response to the allegations, Google issued a statement disagreeing with the European Commission’s position. The company referred to digital advertising as a “highly competitive sector” and argued that its advertising technologies help websites and applications monetize their content while allowing companies to effectively attract new customers.
This is not the first time that Google has faced antitrust charges in the EU. The European Commission has previously imposed fines on the company in relation to three other cases involving the search engine, the Android mobile operating system, and the Google Shopping service. In total, fines have amounted to more than 8 billion euros.
Industry analysts believe that this case could set a precedent for future EU decisions regarding not only Google but also other major IT companies such as Facebook, Amazon, and Apple, which are also currently facing antitrust investigations.
It is worth noting that Meta and its products (Instagram and Facebook) have been designated as extremist, and their activities are prohibited in the Russian Federation.