Search engine giant Google on Friday called the ₹1,337.76 crore fine imposed by Competition Commission of India a ‘major setback for Indian consumers and businesses’. The tech behemoth said it would review the decision to evaluate next steps, Reuters reported.
On Thursday, the anti-trust watchdog ordered Google to pay a ₹1,337.76 crore fine for ‘abusing its dominant position’ in multiple markets in the Android ecosystem.
The CCI noted that Google ‘perpetuated’ its dominant position in the online search market thereby resulting in the denial of market access for competing search apps in contravention of Section 4(2)(e) of the Competition Act, 2002.
The anti-trust watchdog also said that the search engine giant leveraged its dominant position in the app store market for Android OS to protect its position in general search and non-OS specific web browser market through the Google Chrome app in contravention of the said section of the Act.
The CCI also accused Google of reducing the ability and incentive of device manufacturers to develop and sell devices operating on alternative versions of Android by making pre-installation of Google’s proprietary apps conditional.
In April 2019, the Competition Commission of India had ordered a detailed probe into the case following complaints from consumers of Android smartphones.
In recent times, Google has been facing legal troubles in other countries as well, including United States. In September, the US Justice Department told a federal judge that the search engine giant pays billions of dollars every year to Apple and Samsung to illegally maintain its spot as the No.1 search engine.
In 2020, the US Department of Justice had sued Google for anti-trust violations, accusing it of abusing its dominance in online search and advertising to stifle competition. The lawsuit filed in the last days of Trump administration was a move intended to put a check on Big Tech firms.
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