Google Ordered to Pay €2.4 Billion Fine for Abusing Market Dominance

Europe’s top court has upheld a €2.4 billion fine against Google for abusing its market dominance through its shopping comparison service. The penalty, originally imposed by the European Commission in 2017, marks the conclusion of a long-running legal battle initiated by UK-based Foundem in 2009. The European Court of Justice ruled that Google’s conduct was “discriminatory” and dismissed the tech giant’s appeal in its entirety.

Google expressed disappointment with the decision, noting that it had implemented changes in 2017 to comply with the European Commission’s ruling. Despite these changes, the court’s decision underscores the severity of Google’s actions in monopolizing online price comparison by prioritizing its own shopping recommendations over rivals. The ruling could have broader implications for the company, as additional antitrust cases and compensation claims from affected competitors are pending.

This case adds to Google’s mounting legal challenges in Europe, where the company has been fined a total of €8.2 billion over several cases, including for its use of Android software and advertising practices. The ruling also comes as Google faces a separate antitrust trial in the United States and ongoing investigations by UK regulators over its advertising technology dominance.

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