EU Hits Google with Record €2.95 Billion Fine Over Ad Practices

The European Commission has imposed a hefty €2.95 billion fine on Google for abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market.

Despite warnings from US President Donald Trump not to target US tech giants, the EU has gone ahead with the fine, accusing Google of distorting competition in the 27-nation bloc.

EU Competition Chief, Teresa Ribera stated that Google’s behavior is illegal under EU antitrust rules, harming publishers, advertisers, and consumers.

The fine comes after a lengthy investigation into Google’s adtech practices, which began in 2021. In 2023, the EU recommended that Google sell part of its ad services to ensure fair competition.

Google has vowed to appeal the decision, calling it “wrong” and arguing that it imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses.

The company claims that providing services for ad buyers and sellers is not anticompetitive, especially with numerous alternatives available.

This fine is the third announced against Google in a week, following a US federal jury’s decision to order Google to pay $425 million for gathering information from smartphone app use despite users opting for privacy settings. Additionally, France’s data protection authority fined Google €325 million for failing to respect internet cookie laws.

In a separate development, a US judge rejected the American government’s demand that Google sell its Chrome web browser as part of an antitrust case. However, the ruling imposed sweeping requirements to restore competition in the online search area.