European Commission Slaps Google with $5 Billion in Fines Over Anti-Trust Practices

• Google has been found guilty of leveraging its Android OS with anti-trust practices to further its dominance as the leading search engine in the world.
• The European Commission believes that Google is restricting the search engine market and is prohibiting user choice by pre-installing Google Apps on Android devices.
• The fine could lead to massive changes to the platform in the near future which may lead to the exclusion of some Google Apps from Android devices.

Google is in troubled waters after leveraging its mobile OS Android to solidify its presence as the top search engine provider on the internet. The tech giant was accused by the European Commission for misusing Android to remove user choice by pre-installing Google’s own apps including search tools and other services that are offered by the tech giant.

Google has been asked to pay $5 Billion in fines by the European Commission but a Google spokesperson as revealed that the company will be contesting the claims made by the European authorities. A statement by Google reads “Android has created more choice for everyone, not less.” And that Android is “A vibrant ecosystem, rapid innovation, and lower prices are classic hallmarks of robust competition. We will appeal the Commission's decision”.

Fine of €4,34 bn to @Google for 3 types of illegal restrictions on the use of Android. In this way it has cemented the dominance of its search engine. Denying rivals a chance to innovate and compete on the merits. It’s illegal under EU antitrust rules. @Google now has to stop it

— Margrethe Vestager (@vestager) July 18, 2018

While Google has operated in a similar fashion since Android’s inception, recent partnerships with phone manufacturers like Huawei, LG, and Samsung led to the charges by the European Commission. The partnerships with the phone companies stipulate that Google Apps are to be mandatorily included in all devices released by them. It does eliminate competition as most mobile companies rely on Google’s Android OS.

The European Commission believes that the practice by Google has “denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits. They have denied European consumers the benefits of effective competition in the important mobile sphere. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules.” It is not the first time Google has been fined for its anti-trust practices. The company was fined $2.7 billion last year for manipulating search results and promoting its own shopping links. If the Commission’s decision stands and Google is unable to contest the penalties in court, it could open Android as a much more open platform.

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