![The EU drew outrage from Trump in September, when it fined Google 2.95 billion euro ($3.5 billion) for breaching the 27-nation bloc’s competition rules [File] | Photo Credit: AP](https://newspage360.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Europe-EU-Google_88012-1068x601.jpg "The EU drew outrage from Trump in September, when it fined Google 2.95 billion euro ($3.5 billion) for breaching the 27-nation bloc’s competition rules [File] | Photo Credit: AP")
Key Takeaways
- EU launches formal investigation into Google’s search ranking practices
- Regulators suspect unfair demotion of publisher content under anti-spam policy
- Potential penalties include fines up to 10% of global revenue or business breakup
- Google defends policy as necessary protection against scams and low-quality content
The European Union has launched a formal antitrust investigation into Google over concerns the tech giant is unfairly demoting media publisher content in search results. The probe could lead to multibillion-euro fines or even the breakup of parts of Google’s business.
EU Concerns Over Fair Treatment
European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera stated: “We are concerned that Google’s policies do not allow news publishers to be treated in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner in its search results.”
Ribera emphasized the investigation aims to ensure publishers don’t lose crucial revenue during challenging times for the industry. The probe will assess whether Google complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU’s comprehensive digital rulebook designed to prevent tech monopolies.
Google’s Defense of Anti-Spam Policy
Google maintains its site reputation abuse policy protects European users from “deceptive, low quality content and scams” and the “shady tactics” used to promote them.
Pandu Nayak, Google Search’s chief scientist, called the investigation “entirely misguided and without merit.” In a blog post, he warned the probe “risks harming millions of European users.”
“If we allowed this behavior — letting sites use sketchy tactics to boost their ranking, instead of investing in creating high-quality content — it would enable bad actors to displace sites that don’t use those spammy tactics, and it would degrade Search for everyone,” Nayak said.
Broader EU-Google Conflict
The investigation continues a long-running battle between Brussels and Big Tech dating back to 2017. The EU has previously fined Google four times in antitrust cases, including a 2.95 billion euro ($3.5 billion) penalty in September for favoring its own advertising services.
The Commission argues Google’s current policy harms “a common and legitimate way for publishers to monetize their websites and content” and potentially violates DMA rules requiring fair treatment of other businesses.
Potential Consequences and Timeline
The EU must conclude its investigation within 12 months. If violations are found, Google parent Alphabet could face fines of 10% or more of its annual global revenue. The Commission indicated it could potentially order the dismantling and sale of parts of Google’s business.
The move comes despite potential political tensions, as former President Donald Trump has previously criticized EU digital regulations and threatened retaliation against American tech company penalties.
