Google has been fined a record $5 billion by the EU
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Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition commissioner, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
Google has been fined a record €4.3 billion ($5 billion, £3.8 billion) by Europe's competition watchdog for abusing its dominant Android mobile operating system to cement the popularity of Google apps and services.
It's the biggest antitrust fine ever given by Europe's competition regulator against a single firm, and cements competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager's reputation as Silicon Valley's policewoman.
The European Commission found Google had used Android, the most popular mobile software globally, to reinforce its own dominance in search.
Mark Blinch/Reuters
Android is the most popular mobile operating software in the world.
Google has previously argued that Android has helped create rather than hinder choice. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is the third major investigation into Google by Europe's competition watchdog, and it has lasted more than three years. The firm was hit with a €2.4 billion (£2.1 billion/$2.7 billion) fine last year for promoting its own shopping service in search. Google is appealing the fine. And there is a third investigation underway over whether Google's AdSense technology protects its dominant position in online advertising.
It's also the latest in a long line of penalties and probes into Silicon Valley firms by Margrethe Vestager, who has imposd the record fines against Google, a fine against Facebook over its WhatsApp acquisition, and an investigation into Apple over its purchase of music app Shazam.
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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
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