The European Commission is reportedly preparing to issue a record fine to Google LLC over its search practices, according to German newspaper Handelsblatt. Sources indicate the penalty will be a high nine-figure sum, potentially the largest ever imposed under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The DMA, passed in 2022, regulates large tech firms on advertising, user data, and mobile apps, and specifically targets platforms that give preferential treatment to their own services. The EU tentatively found that Google displayed its own services, like Google Shopping, more prominently than third-party competitors. Regulators also criticized design choices, such as filters in Google News' sports scores page, which are not available for standard search results.
Google proposed changes to address the concerns, but they were deemed insufficient. The fine is expected before the European Parliament's summer recess starting July 27. In response, Google stated that the changes made under the DMA represent "the biggest downgrade in the product's history."
This investigation is one of three ongoing EU probes into Google. A second focuses on Google Play's steering restrictions and in-app purchase fees. A third, launched in December, examines Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode features for potential anti-competitive use of third-party content.