The European Union has criticized Google owned by the alphabet with a fine of € 2.95 billion ($ 3.45 billion) for abusing domain in the online advertising technology market (Adtech).
The sanction, announced on Friday, marks the fourth important penalty that the technological giant has faced the regulators of the European Union in a fight for a decade for competition practices.
According to the European Commission, Google gave a preferential treatment to its own adx exchange platform, ADX, consolidating its control over Adtech’s supply chain and charging rival and editors rates. The Guardian dog ruled that the company’s behavior, in progress since 2014, damaged the competition and reduced equity in the digital market.
“Google now must present a serious remedy to address its conflicts of interest, and if it does not, we will not hesitate to impose strong remedies,” warned the EU antimonopoly chief, Teresa Ribera, and added that the divestments remain on the table if they fall short.
Google has 60 days to send a compliance plan. However, the company has promised to appeal, arguing that the decision was unjustified and harmful to European companies.
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This last fine comes in the context of the growing transatlantic commercial tensions, and the president of the United States, Donald Trump, threatened with reprisals for the action of the European Union against US technology companies.
While the editors welcomed the ruling, some industry leaders said that only a rupture of Google’s Adtech arm could end their domain competence and relive in the advertising market of € 120 billion European.
Google, whose advertising income was $ 264.6 billion in 2024, which represents more than 75% of its total incom, and remains the leading digital advertising platform in the world.
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