The European Commission has fined Google €2.95B for abuse in online advertising

The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion for violating EU antitrust rules in the field of advertising technology.

This is stated on the European Commission’s website.

According to the findings of the investigation, the company systematically favored its own online advertising services to the detriment of competitors, advertisers, and online publishers.

The regulator has ordered Google to:

• stop the practice of “self-preferencing”;

• eliminate conflicts of interest throughout the adtech chain.

• The company has 60 days to submit an action plan. If it fails to comply, the European Commission may impose additional sanctions, including a requirement to sell part of the business.

Why Google is being accused

The European Commission has found that since 2014, Google has:

• given preference to its own AdX advertising exchange by using its dominant DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) server;

• directed the bulk of trading through its own Google Ads and DV360 tools, avoiding competitive platforms.

According to the regulator’s conclusion, these actions strengthened Google’s position in the market and allowed the company to set excessive commissions.

Google advertising publication scheme. Infographic: European Commission

Trump’s reaction

US President Donald Trump was outraged by this fine. On his social media platform Truth Social, he stated that “Europe taking money that would otherwise go to American Investments and Jobs”.

“Very unfair, and the American Taxpayer will not stand for it! As I have said before, my Administration will NOT allow these discriminatory actions to stand. Apple, as an example, was forced to pay $17 Billion Dollars in a Fine that, in my opinion, should not have been charged — They should get their money back!” said the US president.

Trump noted that he cannot allow “this happens to brilliant and unprecedented American Ingenuity.”

Read more: Google to pay $30 million in the US for collecting children’s data on YouTube