Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, expects additional formal charges from the European Union’s antitrust regulator Thursday.
The EU is expected to formally present a statement of objections to Google on Thursday. Google is accused of breaking EU rules regarding website advertising; obligating smartphone manufacturers and telecom companies to pre-install its search engine as a default; and using its market dominance to give itself preference in online shopping markets. The statement includes supplementary charges which Google could challenge in court.
Google was granted an extension Monday, to Sept. 7, to respond to allegations it exerts influence over smartphone software choices to beat its competition.
The EU could levy fines of up to 10 percent of Google’s global revenue for each objection, and force radical changes in the company’s business methods. While the accusations regarding Google’s shopping service dates to 2015, the new charges strike at one of the company’s prime sources of revenue, target advertisements on websites which direct shoppers to businesses selling what they seek. Google earned $15 billion in revenue in 2015, or 20 percent of its overall revenue, by selling advertising on websites.
Google has argued the EU has not sufficiently accounted for hundreds of other competing shopping sites, including Amazon.com Inc. and eBay Inc.
[Source:- UPI]
