Google wants to avert European fine of 1.49 billion in appeal
Google will appeal this week against a fine of 1.49 billion euros imposed by the European Commission. It does that in the European Court. The EU accuses Google of abuse of power with its advertising platform Adsense.
Google billions fine
This week Google may defend itself in the General Court of the European Union for a case from 2019 concerning abuse of power, Nu.nl writes. Google was then presented with a fine of 1.49 billion euros and appealed. This week Google will put its arguments on the table, but it could be months before the verdict is known.
Europe is concerned with the advertising service Adsense with which Google may have abused its power to the detriment of competitors. Since 2006, all websites that wanted to use a Google search bar were required to work with Adsense. Back then, companies like Yahoo and Microsoft that also sold ads had no way of buying advertising themselves on Google’s platform. Google eventually relaxed its policy in 2009 to also allow advertising from competitors, but at that time they were always required to buy a minimum number of ads. Seven years later, that requirement was also removed.
Monster fines for big tech
Google has been fined several times in the EU in connection with cases of abuse of power. In 2017, Google had to swallow a record fine of 2.42 billion euros for its abuse with Google Shopping. A year later, Google broke that record again with a fine for abuse of power with Android. Google then had to pay 4.3 billion euros. Again a year later, it was Meta – then still called Facebook – who had to pay the highest sum the EU had ever imposed. The Cambridge Analytica scandal cost the company 5 billion euros.
It is not yet certain whether the case will end after the ruling on possible abuse with Adsense. Google can then appeal a step higher, to the European Court of Justice.
