Google reportedly faces fresh EU antitrust charges over ad tech policies
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is set to face a fresh antitrust complaint from European regulators. The charges, expected to be revealed on Wednesday by the European Commission, are reportedly related to Google’s lucrative digital advertising business. The complaint will target the core of Google’s ad tech business model and is expected to be the most significant antitrust action against the tech giant in the current five-year mandate of the EU’s antitrust body. Google, which generated approximately $225 billion through online ad sales in 2022, declined to comment on the upcoming charges. This latest regulatory setback follows three previous penalties totaling $8.6 billion in the European Union since 2017.
FAQs:
What is the core of Google’s ad tech business model?
Google’s ad tech business model employs complex algorithms and automated bidding platforms to buy and sell digital advertising space. It enables advertisers to target their ads to specific audiences based on various demographic and behavioral data points.
What are the antitrust charges against Google in the European Union?
The antitrust charges relate to Google’s digital advertising business and whether it unfairly blocks competitors from accessing user data for their own advertising efforts. The charges are expected to be unveiled on Wednesday by the European Commission.
What antitrust action is Google facing in the US?
Google faces a federal antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, which alleges that the tech giant holds a monopoly over the digital advertising market and engages in anticompetitive business practices. Google denies the allegations and has asked a federal judge to dismiss the suit.
What is the potential impact of the regulatory action against Google?
The regulatory action against Google could result in hefty fines and require the company to change its business practices. It could also have broader implications for the digital advertising industry and set a precedent for other tech giants facing antitrust scrutiny.
Fresh EU antitrust charges filed against Google over advertising technology policies.
Google parent company Alphabet is set to receive a fresh antitrust complaint from European regulators targeting its digital advertising business. The European Commission, the EU’s antitrust body, is expected to unveil the latest formal charges against Google on Wednesday, with sources claiming the complaint will “target the core” of the company’s “ad tech business model”. The move represents another regulatory setback for Alphabet, which has already incurred three EU penalties worth $8.6bn since 2017. The company’s digital advertising activities account for 80% of its annual revenue, generating around $225bn in 2022 alone.