Alphabet Inc.'s Google was fined €890 million ($1 billion) by the European Union for violating the Digital Markets Act, the European Commission announced on Thursday. The fine includes €460 million for unfairly favoring its own search services and €430 million for preventing app developers from directing users to offers outside its Play Store, according to livemint.com.
The European Commission said Google fell short of effective compliance with the Digital Markets Act, which aims to ensure fair competition in digital markets. The EU's competition chief highlighted that Google’s practices hindered consumer choice and stifled competition by restricting app developers from promoting alternative offers beyond the Play Store. The fine reflects the EU's enforcement of new regulations designed to curb the dominance of major tech platforms, as reported by livemint.com.
This fine is among the largest penalties imposed under the Digital Markets Act since its implementation, signaling the EU's commitment to regulating big tech companies. The ruling comes amid ongoing tensions between the EU and US tech giants over market dominance and regulatory compliance. Comparable actions have targeted other major platforms to promote a more competitive digital landscape, according to livemint.com.
The €890 million fine was officially announced on July 23, 2026, by the European Commission, marking a significant enforcement action under the Digital Markets Act. The decision underscores the EU’s readiness to impose substantial penalties on companies that fail to comply with its digital market regulations, as detailed by livemint.com.