It seems European Commission regulators aren’t yet done skewering Google.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the competition watchdog is gearing up to issue a third set of charges against Google – this time related to the company’s dominance in advertising.
European Union officials have reportedly asked rival companies to permit disclosure of certain information to Google since the commission will have to provide Google with evidence to support its charges. The report said that step usually precedes the issuance of a statement of objections against the company.
The EU’s anti-trust chief Margrethe Vestager previously said the commission was “advancing” investigations into Google’s advertising practices, but did not disclose specifics. Vestager already filed a complaint against Google in relation to the “systematic favorable treatment” of its own Google Shopping listings in search results back in April 2015.
In addition to that probe, the EU recently found Google abused its dominant market position and violated European Union anti-trust rules by mandating the pre-installation of certain apps and its search engine on Android devices.
The Wall Street Journal report said the pending charges would focus on whether Google blocks website operators from placing competing ads on their websites.
Filed Under: Industry regulations + certifications
