Google breaks own record

Brussels : The European Union slapped Google with a huge 4.34-billion-euro fine for abusing the dominance of its Android operating system yesterday in the biggest antitrust penalty in the bloc’s history.

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said the US tech giant illegally used Android’s near-monopoly to boost usage of its own search engine and browser. The decision, which follows a three-year investigation, comes as fears of a transatlantic trade war mount due to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on European steel and aluminium exports.

“Today the commission has decided to fine Google 4.34 billion euros ($5 billion) for breaching EU antitrust rules,” Vestager told a press conference in Brussels. “Google has engaged in illegal practices to cement its dominant market position in internet search.” Vestager, who has taken on a string of Silicon Valley titans as EU antitrust chief, said Google “must put an effective end to this conduct within 90 days or face penalty payments” of up to five percent of its average daily turnover.

The new sanction nearly doubles the previous record EU anti- trust fine of 2.4 billion euros, which also targeted Google, in that case for the Silicon Valley titan’s shopping comparison ser service in 2017. Google immediately said it would appeal the fine “Android has created more choice for everyone, not less,” Google spokesman Al Verney said in a statement. “A vibrant ecosystem, rapid innovation and lower prices are classic hallmarks of robust competition. We will appeal the Commission’s decision.”