The European Commission fined Google €890m for favoring its own apps and services over those of its competitors under the Digital Markets Act.
The European Commission has fined Google €890m for allegedly abusing its market power by favoring its own services over those of rivals. This marks the first major action under the Digital Markets Act, a law designed to curb the dominance of global tech giants. The fine includes a €460m penalty for favoring its own flight and hotel booking services and a €430m penalty for Play Store rules that often obscured cheaper offers outside its own marketplace. Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, criticized the decision, arguing that the requirements could damage popular real-time search features and safety protections. However, EU officials maintained that the measures are necessary to ensure companies succeed based on product quality rather than market position. While some analysts suggested the Commission delayed the decision to avoid upsetting US-EU relations, the administration's unpredictable approach to trade led officials to prioritize regulatory credibility. Google now has 60 days to comply with the new regulations or challenge the ruling in court.