Anti-monopoly action in Russia against Google (Youtube)

In Russia, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) found that the company was in breach of the country’s antitrust laws. FAS argues that Google’s rules related to the creation, suspension, and blocking of YouTube user accounts, and the circulation of user content on the video platform, are ‘non-transparent, biased, and unpredictable’. This allows the ‘sudden blocking and deletion of user accounts without warning and justification of actions’, which in FAS’s view constitutes an infringement of user interests and limits competition in related markets. Google was also accused of abusing its dominant position in the video-hosting services market. The company faces a fine to be determined by FAS during an administrative investigation.