EU Fines Google $1 Billion For Breaking Digital Antitrust Regulations (apnews.com)
- Reference: 0184618024
- News link: https://search.slashdot.org/story/26/07/23/2034235/eu-fines-google-1-billion-for-breaking-digital-antitrust-regulations
- Source link: https://apnews.com/article/google-eu-competition-fine-antitrust-play-search-199c77e09d3829ebfc3d9e51281a369a
> Google had [2]recently lost its appeal of a $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the EU for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating system. The European Commission, the bloc's executive branch and highest antitrust enforcer, said it was acting in the interest of consumers after an investigation of Google.
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> "The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine. And 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," said Teresa Ribera, the commission's Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.
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> Google's President of Global Affairs Kent Walker blasted the fine as "product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants" that will have a negative impact on European businesses and consumers. He said that the EU's Digital Markets Act forces Google "to strip away real-time search features Europeans love -- like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants -- and dismantle safety protections on Google Play."
[1] https://apnews.com/article/google-eu-competition-fine-antitrust-play-search-199c77e09d3829ebfc3d9e51281a369a
[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/01/28/2225214/record-45-billion-eu-fine-punished-its-innovation-google-tells-eu-court
Not unexpected. (Score:3, Informative)
So Google's mouthpiece responds with Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) as a matter of course because that's what they always do. Google is just one great example of why The European Union needs to worry about it's own digital sovereignty. Too bad a billion-dollar fine won't make much difference in their "Be Evil" product strategy. Late-stage capitalism at its finest, where "growth at any cost" is not just the ethos or logos of a cancer cell. Go Euro Commission. American companies pretty much suck at this point and they're not afraid to act up, even internationally. You do what you gotta do.
"dismantle safety protections on Google Play" (Score:2)
aka Google-speak for "they haven't installed non-Play or sideloaded apps on their device."
One BILLION Dollars! (Score:2)
/pinky /dr.evil
Difficult to Understand (Score:1)
It is difficult for me to grasp how this isn't essentially the government fining you, at your own garage sale, for failure to offer competitors' items even when you get no cut.
Have to wonder (Score:2, Insightful)
I know that the EU has been gunning for American big tech for a while now. But I get the feeling that there may be a little more fervor in that effort since Trump took office, both because the US is now a demonstrated menace to half the planet, and because big tech has just gotten that much more rapacious since the Orange One took office.
Re: (Score:3)
In general, America's appetite for anti-trust and corruption has been seemingly unbound long before Trump
Re: (Score:2)
"TDS" is what you blame when you don't want to address the actual content.
Re: (Score:3)
No, you're just shocked that a government can enforce laws against mega corps.
Re: Have to wonder (Score:2)
Are you trying to sound like geekmux or did you forget not to?
Re: (Score:2)
They just need the money to build more mosques.