EU Slaps Google with €890 Million Fine Over Search and Play Store Practices
The European Commission has imposed a €890 million ($1 billion) fine on Google, concluding that the technology giant violated the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA) by giving preferential treatment to its own services in search results and restricting app developers from directing users to alternative purchasing options outside the Google Play Store.
The penalty is divided into two parts, with €460 million linked to Google's search business and €430 million related to practices within the Play Store. Regulators said the company unfairly promoted its own offerings—including shopping and travel-related services—ahead of competing platforms in search results, while limiting developers' ability to inform users about lower-priced offers available outside Google's app marketplace.
European authorities have ordered Google to bring its services into compliance with the Digital Markets Act within 60 days, warning that continued violations could expose the company to additional financial penalties. The decision represents the largest fine issued so far under the DMA, the landmark legislation designed to curb the market power of major digital platforms.
Google said it plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that the required changes could make its products less useful for consumers, weaken security protections, and create a less efficient experience for both users and developers.
The latest decision adds to a series of antitrust actions brought against Google in Europe over the past decade. Earlier this month, the company's appeal against a separate €4.1 billion Android antitrust penalty was rejected by the EU's highest court, underscoring Brussels' increasingly aggressive approach toward regulating the world's largest technology companies.