Google faces antitrust fights globally: India, US, Europe, South Korea, Britain.
Alphabet Inc’s Google, the world’s most popular search engine, faces antitrust battles in multiple countries around the world. In India, the Supreme Court refused to block an order from the Competition Commission of India which requires Google to allow users to delete apps like YouTube from Android phones. In the United States, the Department of Justice has sued Google twice, once for violating antitrust law to maintain dominance in search and once for abusing its dominance of the digital advertising business. In South Korea, Google was fined $176.64 million for abusing its dominant market position to restrict competition in the mobile operating system market.
In Europe, Google has incurred 8.25 billion euros in EU antitrust fines following three investigations, including allegations that it imposed unlawful restrictions on Android mobile device and mobile network operators. In Britain, the Competition and Markets Authority has created a Digital Markets Unit, which could be given powers to suspend, block and reverse decisions made by technology firms and to impose financial penalties for non-compliance.
Google’s antitrust battles are a result of its immense power in search, the Android smartphone operating system, and online advertising. This power has allowed Google to dominate these markets and make it difficult for competitors to enter the market. As governments around the world become increasingly concerned about the power of large technology companies, Google has become a target of antitrust investigations.
Google’s antitrust battles have been costly, both in terms of money and reputation. The company has been fined billions of euros and its practices are being closely scrutinized by governments around the world. These investigations could lead to further fines and restrictions on the company’s business practices. As Google continues to face antitrust battles, it will be important for the company to ensure that it is complying with the law and not abusing its power in these markets.
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