Google fined €890 million under EU Digital Markets Act for anti-competitive search practices
The European Commission issued its first fine under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), penalizing Google €890 million (~$1 billion) for preferential treatment of its own services in search results. The regulator found that Google displays shopping and hotels results "more prominently in search results" while similar third-party services lack that prominence. The fine is the opening salvo under the DMA, which designates Google, Apple, and Meta as "gatekeepers" subject to stricter obligations.
Google also violated anti-steering rules by preventing app developers from promoting alternative offers through third-party app stores. The Commission ordered Google to treat third-party services in search "fairly and non-discriminatorily" and allow developers to promote contracts outside Google Play. Google has 60 days to comply or face fines up to 5% of worldwide turnover. Google is reviewing the decision and evaluating whether to appeal, arguing that mandated changes strip real-time features Europeans rely on—instant pricing for hotels, flights, restaurants.
For architects: This sets the template for AI/LLM enforcement under the DMA. The same fairness logic could apply to foundation model APIs and system prompt control, if Google integrates Gemini into search or if competitors challenge preferential weighting of Google's own models in results.
Sources
- Primary source
- cnbc.com
“European regulators have fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion), alleging the company gives preferential treatment to its own services”
- cnbc.com
“Google displays its own services "more prominently in search results," while similar third parties "do not have the same prominence"”