EU fines Google €2.95 billion despite Trump's threats
The European executive considered that the tech giant abused its dominant position in the online advertising sector.
Google logo on a smartphone with the European flag in the background.
The European Commission announced Friday that it will impose a €2.95 billion fine (nearly $3.5 billion) on Google, finding that the U.S. tech giant abused its dominant position in online advertising.
Google immediately announced it would contest the AdTech penalty. In 2023, the European Commission had also threatened to require the company to spin off part of its online advertising operations, a move it has decided not to pursue for now.
The announcement of the measure against the U.S. tech giant was delayed earlier this week amid tensions between the European Union and the United States, a Commission source told AFP Wednesday.
Society
Google ordered to pay $425 million for unauthorized collection of user data
Carlos Dominguez
On Aug. 26, Donald Trump criticized countries and organizations that regulate the technology sector, warning of tariffs and export restrictions.
Although he did not mention the EU specifically, it has the world’s strongest legal framework for regulating the digital sector, sparking debate in Europe over the risk of retaliation if U.S. companies face sanctions.
The EU responded that it has "the sovereign right" to regulate technology.
Three fines in one week
On Wednesday, a U.S. federal court jury in San Francisco ordered the company to pay $425.7 million in damages to nearly 100 million users for privacy violations, a decision Google has upheld.
On Thursday, France’s privacy watchdog, CNIL, issued a record €325 million fine for breaches of privacy rules and cookie regulations.
A major victory
However, the company scored a major court victory in the United States on Tuesday.
A Washington judge imposed strict data-sharing requirements to restore fairness in online search competition but stopped short of forcing the company to divest its flagship Chrome browser, as the U.S. government had sought.
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