Up to 10% of Global Revenue Fines for DMA Violations
The European Union (EU) has officially launched an investigation into whether Google has unfairly treated media outlets and news organizations in its search results under the pretext of its 'anti-spam policy'.
On November 13 (local time), the European Commission announced in a statement that it has begun an investigation to assess whether Google has treated news publishers' websites in its search engine under 'fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions' in accordance with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). If a violation of the DMA is confirmed, the EU can impose a fine of up to 10% of the company's global revenue.
This investigation stems from industry complaints that Google has discriminated against news organizations and harmed their revenue activities by taking measures such as placing news publishers' websites and content containing commercial partnership material, such as 'sponsored articles,' lower in search results under its anti-spam policy.
Teresa Ribera, Vice President of the European Commission, stated, "We are concerned that Google's policy may prevent news media from receiving fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory treatment in search results," adding, "This investigation aims to ensure that the media industry, which is going through a difficult period, does not lose vital revenue and that Google complies with the DMA."
The EU plans to focus on whether Google's anti-spam policy is being applied fairly to news organizations. The Commission said in its statement, "This policy appears to have a direct impact on the legitimate and common ways in which news publishers generate revenue through their websites and content."
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