EU files antitrust charges against Google over online advertising practices

The charges could result in fines and orders for Google to change its business practices.

This marks the fourth time that Google has been charged with antitrust violations by the European Commission in recent years. This time the EU accuses Google of abusing its dominant position in the market for buying and selling online advertising, specifically in the area of adtech.

The European Union's charges follow similar ones brought against Google by the U.S. Justice Department in January, which accused the company of illegally abusing its monopoly over online advertising technology. The UK's antitrust authority is also investigating Google's advertising practices.

The outcomes of these cases could have significant consequences for Google's parent company, Alphabet, as advertising accounts for the majority of its profits. Google's advertising business is an essential part of such popular services as search, e-mail, maps, and Android, and allows the company to provide these services for free.

Margrethe Vestager, the executive vice president of the European Commission responsible for digital and competition policy, expressed concerns that Google may have used its market position to favor its own intermediation services. The EU believes that Google's actions may have harmed its competitors, publishers, and advertisers by increasing costs.

These charges against Google are part of a broader effort by European authorities to address antitrust concerns related to major technology companies. Apple and Meta are also under investigation for potential antitrust violations.