The European Commission has fined Alphabet Inc.’s Google a total of €890 million, approximately $1 billion, for violating the Digital Markets Act. This penalty marks the first time the European Union has penalized the company under the new rulebook designed to rein in the power of the largest technology platforms.
The commission found that Google broke digital antitrust regulations by giving priority to its own services and apps over those of its rivals. This practice of self-preferencing included boosting its own shopping, hotel, and transport deals in search results and configuring Google Play to steer consumers toward its own products, which the EU claims unfairly harmed competition.
This enforcement action is part of a broader crackdown by Brussels to ensure fair competition and prevent Big Tech companies from thwarting rivals. Google is the third tech giant to face significant fines under the Digital Markets Act as the EU seeks to force firms to treat third-party services in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.
The decision comes at a tense moment for trans-Atlantic trade and is likely to intensify anger in Washington. The Trump administration has argued that European digital regulations unfairly target leading American companies.