Google fined a record €2.4 billion ($2.7bn) by the EU for manipulating search results

[BIAD]

EU hits Google with record £2.1bn fine for abusing internet search monopoly.

'The European Union has fined Google €2.42bn (£2.14bn) after a seven-year investigation
into claims the technology giant abused its internet search monopoly.



The penalty is the biggest ever competition fine from the European Commission, doubling
the previous record handed to Intel in 2009. The EU said Google had broken EU competition
law by exploiting the power of its search engine to promote its online shopping service, at
the expense of other price comparison sites.

Margrethe Vestager, the European competition commissioner, said Google "abused its market
dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search
results, and demoting those of competitors."

She said the company had 90 days to stop breaking EU rules or face more fines that could cost billions.

The investigation into Google dates back to 2010. The company was hit with formal charges in 2015
and 2016, and has repeatedly denied it has stunted competition.

The case is seen as a landmark moment as politicians grapple with the growing power of US technology
giants, and a test case for how governments will rein them in. It has sparked transatlantic tensions,
with Washington accusing Brussels of anti-American bias.

Ms Vestager said: "What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies
the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European
consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation."

More than 90pc of internet searches run through Google in most European countries.
The commission found that since 2008 the company had "systematically" ranked its own internet shopping
service higher than rivals.

"Google has abused this market dominance by giving its own comparison shopping service an illegal
advantage," it said.

A Google spokesman said: "When you shop online, you want to find the products you’re looking for quickly
and easily. And advertisers want to promote those same products.

"That's why Google shows shopping ads, connecting our users with thousands of advertisers, large and
small, in ways that are useful for both.  We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today.
We will review the Commission’s decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to
continuing to make our case."...'
SOURCE:

Nooo. Surely not.

[Mystic Wanderer]

Margrethe Vestager, the European competition commissioner, said Google "abused its market
dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search
results, and demoting those of competitors."

That's good. 

Now someone needs to go after them for doing the same with blocking certain alternative news sites, and right wing political articles.

[BIAD]

That's good.   

Now someone needs to go after them for doing the same with blocking certain alternative news sites, and right wing political articles.

I was listening to a video yesterday (Monday) where a prominent YouTuber had met with
the YouTube people about the biased manner of how ratings, trendings and advantageous
positioning had been distorted for the more Liberal-minded than others.

The YouTube Staff assured they were trying to get it sorted and were aware of 'failings' in the
recent past.

I believe Google will slowly wake up to the idea that markets can only be 'tweaked' for a short
while and not handled in the current way they're doing business.
If the masses get pissed off, they'll look for someone else... and there's always someone else
waiting to make the money.