On the 14th local time, the EU antitrust regulator issued a preliminary investigation report on Google's suspected monopolistic behavior. The report said that Google abused its dominant position in the online advertising market, and the EU regulator required Google to sell part of its advertising business to solve related problems. The Associated Press stated that this is the first time that the European Union has informed the technology giant that it needs to split up key parts of its business due to suspected monopoly, but the specific details have not been announced.
In June 2021, the European Commission officially launched an investigation into whether Google's online advertising business violated EU competition rules. The purpose of the investigation is to assess whether Google uses technical means to suppress competitors in the field of online advertising. The focus of the investigation is whether Google restricts third-party companies from obtaining user data while keeping the data for its own use, thereby distorting market competition.
EU Competition Commissioner Margaret Vestager: On the 14th, the European Commission has issued a statement of objection to Google. We are concerned that Google may have illegally distorted market competition in the online advertising industry. At the preliminary investigation stage, we believe that Google's behavior may be suspected of abusing its dominant position in the advertising market.
Agence France-Presse reported that Google has the right to respond to the findings, but if EU regulators insist that Google constitutes a monopoly and Google refuses to make corresponding rectifications, Google may be fined up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
Google subsequently responded that it disagreed with the EU's findings and believed that its ad technology fees were transparent and in line with industry standards.
The European Union has fined Google more than 8 billion euros in three separate antitrust cases involving its Android mobile operating system and its shopping and search advertising services. In addition, the British antitrust regulator is also investigating Google's ad technology, and related litigation is also ongoing.
Turkish President Erdogan announced on the 13th that Türkiye has severed relations with Israel and will not take any measures to continue or develop bilateral relations in the future.