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| Google faces antitrust complaint over ad technology |
Google is facing growing antitrust pressure in the European Union over its ad technology, which could support an investigation into the case by European Union cartel chief Margrethe Vestager.
The company generated $147 billion in online advertising revenue in 2020, more than any other company in the world, with ads such as search, YouTube and Gmail accounting for the majority of its total revenue and revenue.
About 16% of its revenue comes from the company's display or web business, and other media companies use their technology to sell ads on their websites and apps.
Reuters reports that the European Publishers Council (EPC) has taken legal action against the company in the European Union over allegations that it illegally controls advertising and information technology.
The search giant's ad pool is said to be riddled with conflicts of interest as it represents buyers, sellers, and auction houses. They also use this control to exploit advantages at the expense of customers.
Council president Christian Fantelo said the complaints had prompted the EU to take a reluctant step. The move should allow Google to effectively change its behavior after years without promising significant impact, Thilo said.
The Council of European Publishers has cited antitrust concerns in several countries to support its case. Including multi-American conflicts.
Google unfairly controls the media
The latest European investigation into the search engine giant's advertising activities began in June 2021. The European Council of Publishers shares common concerns about potential abuse.
However, he did not set a deadline for the investigation and tripled the fine imposed on the company for its advertising practices.
Antitrust investigations like these can take years, and complaints in theory speed up the process.
Google said in a statement that the companies liked their advertising technology but were not concerned with unfair competition.
A company spokesperson said: “When publishers choose to use our advertising services, they keep most of their revenue. Each year we pay billions of dollars directly to publisher partners across the ad network.
It is uncertain whether the European Council of Publishers' complaint will prompt the European Union to demand significant changes to Google's advertising policy.
However, this may increase pressure on the search giant to act, even to reduce potential penalties.