The European Commission announced on the 23rd that Google has violated the EU's Digital Markets Act in its online search and app store operations, and decided to impose a total fine of 890 million euros (about 4.144 billion ringgit) on the company.
The European Commission stated in a declaration that Google prioritized the display of its own services—in areas such as shopping, hotels, transportation, and sports—in its search results, making it impossible for third-party similar services to receive the same level of exposure, which constitutes 'self-preferencing' towards its own services.
The statement said that Google failed to comply with the regulations set out in the Digital Markets Act, restricting app developers from informing users that relevant services could be purchased at lower prices through channels outside of Google's app store 'Google Play', and hindering developers from directing users to complete transactions outside 'Google Play'.
According to the decision made on the same day, the European Commission requires Google to treat third-party services in search results fairly and without discrimination, and to allow app developers to freely introduce and promote offers to users, as well as be able to complete transactions outside of 'Google Play'. Google must rectify these issues within 60 days, or the European Commission may impose additional fines.
In 2018, the European Commission determined that Google leveraged the Android system to monopolize the market by requiring smartphone manufacturers, through pre-installation agreements and other means, to promote its own search engine and browser on mobile devices running the Android operating system. Consequently, Google was fined about 4.34 billion euros. In 2022, the EU General Court partially annulled the Commission’s findings regarding revenue-sharing agreements, but upheld the main conclusion, only adjusting the fine to 4.125 billion euros. Google subsequently appealed to the EU Court. On the 2nd of this month, the EU Court rejected Google's appeal and upheld the 4.125 billion euro antitrust fine against Google.