Alphabet unit Google on Friday became the target of an antitrust complaint by the European Publishers Council over its digital advertising business, which could potentially strengthen EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's investigation into the issue. The European Commission opened an investigation in June into whether Google favours its own online display advertising technology services to the detriment of rivals, advertisers and online publishers. The publishers' trade body, whose members include Axel Springer, News UK, Conde Nast, Bonnier News and Editorial Prensa Iberica, took its grievance to the European Commission, alleging Google has an adtech stranglehold over press publishers. "It is high time for the European Commission to impose measures on Google that actually change, not just challenge, its behaviour," EPC Chairman Christian Van Thillo said in a statement. Vestager, who has fined Google more than €8 billion ($9.2 billion) in recent years for anti-competitive practices in three cases, last year launched the investigation into Google's digital advertising business.

Source: The Hindu February 14, 2022 06:39 UTC