The EU Fines Google $1 Billion for Prioritizing Its Own Services in Search

An EC investigation found that Google had abused its dominanEuropean Union’sce in the search and app store markets to funnel people towards its own apps and services, in violation of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act.

The body has ordered Google to refrain from giving preferential treatment to its own services—like shopping, accommodation, transport, and flights—in search rankings. Google must also allow app developers to communicate and transact with users outside the Play Store, where it takes a commission on sales.

“The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine,” says Teresa Ribera, an executive vice president at the EC. “European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut.”