Tech giant Google has been slapped with a fine of €2 million by French authorities for violating regulations related to its search engine and Google Play Store.

The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) announced that Google had failed to adhere to rules concerning the provision of certain information regarding ranking criteria.

Additionally, the watchdog found that searches for tourism accommodation needed more explanations for pricing, and the Google Play Store needed to provide reasons to consumers for not publishing their app reviews.

Inspections conducted in 2021 by the DGCCRF’s national investigation department revealed that Google’s search engine needed to disclose information about the criteria used to rank search results.

While Google’s anti-fraud department stated that they had rectified some of the identified deficiencies, the company expressed regret that the agency had not taken into account these changes.

Repeat Offender

This is not the first time Google has faced fines for antitrust violations in France.

In 2019, the company was fined €4.34 million for abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market.

Google has expressed its intention to appeal the latest fine.

However, the company is encountering heightened scrutiny from regulators worldwide.

As the technology industry continues to consolidate, more antitrust cases are expected to be brought against companies like Google in the future.

Additional Details

The following are further details regarding the imposed fine:

The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) imposed the fine.
The DGCCRF found that Google had violated the French Consumer Code, which stipulates that companies must provide transparent and clear information about their ranking criteria.
This fine represents the most recent in a series of antitrust cases against Google in France.
Google has announced its intention to appeal the fine.

Observing the outcome of the appeal process and whether Google can successfully overturn the fine will be intriguing.

Nevertheless, this case indicates that regulators worldwide are closely scrutinizing Google’s operations, including its search engine and other ventures.

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