Google’s ad tech business is also under investigation by Britain’s antitrust watchdog and faces litigation in the U.S. “This is a big deal” and a sign that the commission has “lost all trust in Google and lost all trust in those behavioral remedies” mandating changes to the way it operates, said Rich Stables, CEO of rival search engine Kelkoo, which was involved in two of the EU’s previous Google antitrust cases. The commission is seeking a forced sale because past cases that ended with fines and requirements for Google to stop anti-competitive practices have not worked, allowing the company to continue its behavior, “just under a different disguise,” she said. The commission’s decision stems from a formal investigation that it opened in June 2021, looking into whether Google violated the bloc’s competition rules by favoring its own online display advertising technology services at the expense of rival publishers, advertisers and advertising technology services. “Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector.” “Our advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers,” said Dan Taylor, Google vice president of global ads. The company said it disagreed with the finding and “will respond accordingly,” adding that the EU’s investigation focused on a narrow part of its ad business. Google can now defend itself by making its case before the commission issues its final decision. It is the first time the bloc has told a tech giant that it should split up key parts of its business over violations of the EU’s strict antitrust laws, though details on what that could look like are not clear following the preliminary finding. The 27-nation EU has led the global movement to crack down on Big Tech companies - including moving closer to groundbreaking rules on artificial intelligence - but it has previously relied on issuing blockbuster fines, including three antitrust penalties for Google worth billions. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch and top antitrust enforcer, said its preliminary view after an investigation is that “only the mandatory divestment by Google of part of its services” would address the concerns. authorities seeking to bust Google’s alleged monopoly on the online ad ecosystem. The unprecedented decision to push for such a breakup marks a significant escalation by Brussels in its crackdown on Silicon Valley digital giants, and follows a similar move by U.S. BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union regulators hit Google with fresh antitrust charges Wednesday, saying the only way to satisfy competition concerns about its lucrative digital ad business is by selling off parts of the tech giant’s main moneymaker.
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