Google Facing Billions in EU Antitrust Fines (axios.com)

Another EU antitrust fine for Google is coming down the pipe in mid-July over allegations Google has used its Android mobile operating system to beat out rivals, Reuters reports. From a report: The European Commission has been investigating the case since 2015. It's another example of how the EU takes anti-competition violations far more seriously than the U.S. In June of last year, the EU slapped Google with a record $2.8 billion fine for anti-trust practices around its search product, which they said unfairly pushed consumers to use Google's Shopping platform. Sources told Reuters they expect this new fine to top that record.

Comments

Re: Would it cost them less to just stop serving E

[houghi]

Perhaps they should not have started a business in a place they where unwilling to follow the law.

Waaah?

[NettiWelho]

which they said unfairly pushed consumers to use Google's Shopping platform.

They have what now? As an European, this is the first time I am hearing about "google's shopping platform", ever

Re:I would love it

[Oswald McWeany]

I would love it if every one of the Top 5 (Apple, Microsoft, Google/Alphabet, Facebook, Amazon) said "You know what? Fuck it. We're out" and just left Europe entirely. Just leave it to its own devices.

The EU is larger economically than the US. Sure, they could leave, but they'd be losing a huge % of their profits. They don't want to do that. They also know if they left the EU it would give other countries free roam to fill in the gap and create their own companies doing the same thing. Those companies could then operate in the US.

It would be a death knell to those companies to leave the EU.

Re: Would it cost them less to just stop serving E

[TheRaven64]

Manufacturers aren't prohibited from installing their own software, including software which serves the same functions as Google's options

Except that if you want to install any Google apps, then you must install the entire suite and if you want to install competing apps then there are different licensing terms that cost more. And if you don't then it's impossible for your customers to install most third-party software because Google has managed to achieve an effective monopoly on distribution of most Android apps. And if you do install the Play store then you also need Play services, which run with insane permissions and hook into almost every app installed from Play.

Re: Would it cost them less to just stop serving E

[serviscope_minor]

Well, they seem to be just changing the laws under them over and over again...becoming more onerous each time.

Yep, companies keep doing increasingly dickish things os the EU regulations get tighter.

This is like the EU is trying to step up and dictate what a private company's business model is.

Yep the EU is dictating that being massive asshats is not a valid business model. I'm cool with that.