Google fined $1 billion for violating EU Digital Markets Act
The European Union has fined Google's parent company Alphabet €890 million for two violations of the Digital Markets Act, including giving preferential treatment to its own services in search results and restricting Android developers from steering users to alternative payment options.
The European Commission announced today that it has fined Google's parent company Alphabet €890 million (approximately $1 billion) for two separate violations of the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). This marks the first time the EU has used the DMA to penalize a tech giant.
A €460 million fine was imposed for Google giving preferential treatment to its own Shopping, Hotels, and Flights services in Google Search results. A second €430 million penalty was issued for Play Store rules that prevented Android developers from freely directing consumers to alternative payment systems.
The fines follow a two-year investigation into Google's compliance with the DMA, which was launched by the European Commission. The DMA, which came into force in 2024, aims to ensure fair competition in digital markets by imposing strict obligations on large technology companies.
This is a developing story, and further details may be released.
