Google hit with $3.5 billion EU fine
Fine is the EU’s second largest antitrust penalty after 2018 case.
The European Commission fined Google nearly $3.5 billion after ruling that the company had abused its dominance in digital advertising. Regulators found that Google unfairly preferred its ad exchange, AdX, in its publisher ad server and ad-buying tools, which violated EU antitrust rules.
Officials ordered Google to end these practices within 60 days and to address what they described as ‘inherent conflicts of interest’ across the adtech supply chain. Teresa Ribera, the Commission’s executive vice president, said the case showed the need to ensure that digital markets serve the public fairly, warning that more potent remedies would follow if Google failed to comply.
Google announced it would appeal, arguing that its advertising services remain competitive and that businesses have more alternatives than ever. The fine marks the EU’s second-largest competition penalty, following a record $5 billion action against Google in 2018.
The ruling drew criticism from US President Donald Trump, who accused Europe of unfairly targeting American tech firms and threatened retaliatory measures.
Trump hosted a dinner with industry executives, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and co-founder Sergey Brin, where he won praise for his policies on AI.
Meanwhile, Google secured partial relief in a separate antitrust case in the United States when a judge declined to impose sweeping remedies such as forcing the sale of Chrome or Android.
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