EU accuses Google of anti-competitive adtech practices.

Google Charged with Anti-Competitive Practices by EU Antitrust Regulators

Alphabet’s Google has been charged by EU antitrust regulators with anti-competitive practices in its digital advertising business. The European Commission set out its charges in a statement of objections, two years after it opened an investigation into the case. The charges relate to Google favouring its own online display advertising technology services to the detriment of competing providers of advertising technology services, advertisers, and online publishers. The EU competition watchdog said a behavioural remedy is unlikely to be effective to stop the anti-competitive practices and that only the mandatory divestment by Google of part of its services would address its competition concerns.

Google’s Dominance in Digital Advertising

Google is the most dominant digital advertising platform in the world with a 28% market share of global ad revenue, according to research firm Insider Intelligence. Its 2022 advertising revenues, which include those from its search services, Gmail, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube adverts, Google Ad Manager, AdMob, and AdSense, amounted to $224.5 billion, accounting for 79% of its total revenues.

Google had sought to settle the case three months after the EU watchdog opened its investigation but regulators subsequently grew frustrated with the slow pace and the lack of substantial concessions.

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