Google's Shopping, Hotels, and Flights Services Under Fire in Europe

The European Commission has accused Google's parent company, Alphabet, of violating EU antitrust laws. The main issue? Google is giving its own Shopping, Hotels, and Flights services an unfair advantage in search results. This move is seen as a breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to create a fairer digital marketplace. The EU's preliminary findings suggest that Alphabet is not playing fair. By favoring its own services, Google is making it tough for competitors to get noticed. This isn't just about search results. The EU also claims that Google is stopping app developers from directing users to other app stores. This practice limits choices for Android users and keeps them from finding better deals outside of Google's Play Store. Google, however, sees things differently. The company argues that the changes Europe wants could backfire. For instance, if Google can't show travel results that take users directly to airline sites, people might end up paying more for tickets. This is because airlines often have to pay commissions to other websites. Google also worries about security. The company fears that allowing users to access apps from outside the Play Store could expose them to scams or malicious links. The stakes are high. The EU can slap companies with fines up to 10 percent of their global annual revenue for DMA violations. For Alphabet, that could mean a hefty bill of up to $35 billion. The EU is pushing for full compliance with the DMA to ensure fair competition and innovation in the digital services sector. Google has already made some changes to its Search services to comply with the DMA. These include adding new search result layouts that highlight third-party comparison websites and removing the Google Flights widget for EU users. The DMA is designed to target "gatekeepers" — companies that provide core digital services to European consumers. These gatekeepers must allow more interoperability and avoid giving their own services preferential treatment. Alphabet was labeled a gatekeeper in September 2023, with a compliance deadline of March 6th, 2024.