The European Union (EU) on Thursday hit Google with a fine of ₹890 million after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its search engine to pull consumers towards its own services and apps to the detriment of competitors. It was the latest major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels, which has led the world in reining in some of the world’s largest companies from Silicon Valley to Beijing.It has done so despite the risk of incurring the wrath of President Donald Trump, who has lashed out at the 27-nation bloc’s digital regulations amid a broader campaign against Europe. In the past, Trump has threatened retaliation if American tech companies are penalised.The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, said that it was acting in the interest of consumers after an investigation of Google. “The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s executive vice president for clean, just and competitive transition.Google’s president of global affairs Kent Walker blasted the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” that will have a negative impact on European businesses and consumers. He said that the EU’s Digital Markets Act forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love – like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants – and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.“The EU describes the world’s seven tech giants – Amazon, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance – as “gatekeepers” that control access for consumers.“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said. AP
