EU Slaps Google With $1 Billion Fine Over Search and Play Store

The European Commission is fining Google 890 million euros, or just over $1 billion, citing unfair practices that it says put smaller and third-party companies at a disadvantage.

The ruling touched on two areas: Google search and the Google Play Store.

The Commission, which is the EU’s enforcement arm, said that Google search results give preferential treatment — including enhanced visual treatments and top placement on search results pages — to the company’s own services over those from third parties in areas such as shopping, hotels, transportation and sports.

Google also inhibited third-party developers who make apps available on Google Play from communicating with users about cheaper, free or special-offer alternatives, including via third-party app stores, according to the Commission. It said that the company may impose fees on app developers for acquiring new customers via Google Play, but that the costs it was imposing were excessive.

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