Google Faces Trouble in Europe: Accused of Unfair Search Practices
Google is in trouble again! The European Commission (EU) is planning to press charges against Google for breaking the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
What’s the issue?
The EU believes Google is unfairly promoting its own services—like Google Shopping, Flights, and Hotels—over competitors in search results. This means small businesses and comparison websites get pushed down, making it harder for them to compete.
Why is this serious?
If found guilty, Google could face a very huge fine—up to 10% of its total global earnings! That’s a huge amount of money, showing how strict the EU is about fair competition.
What is Google doing?
Google has already made some changes in Europe to fix the issue:
- More visibility for competitors – Google is showing more results from price comparison sites.
- Balanced search results – Users now see options for both direct suppliers and comparison websites.
- New ad formats – Competitors can now show more detailed ads, including prices and images.
- Testing simpler search formats – Google tried removing extra features (like hotel location maps) in some countries to see if it helped users.
However, regulators say these changes are not enough.
Bigger Picture
It’s not just Google—other big tech companies like Apple and Meta are also under EU investigation. The EU wants to ensure these companies don’t misuse their power to crush competition.
Adding to the tension, the US government, led by Donald Trump, has been defending American tech companies. He claims that the EU is unfairly targeting them with huge fines. Wondering where this could lead.
What’s next?
In the coming months, we’ll see if Google faces charges or makes more changes. This decision could impact how search engines work in Europe and beyond.
Let’s stay updated. Comment your thoughts—is this charge unfair to Google?
