Google faces fresh plaint from EU digital firms over monopolistic abuses
16 May 2014
The Open Internet Project - a body that comprises 400 players in Europe's digital markets - on Thursday lodged a complaint with the European Commission against what it alleges are new anti-competitive abuses by search giant Google.
In its submission, the group accused the Google of abusing its "insurmountable" 90 per cent market share to 'abuse' competitors while illegally using data to squeeze out rivals.
Google thus continues to pay a price for its almost monopolistic control of internet searches. The OIP move follows a unexpected ruling on Tuesday by the European Union's top court that individuals have the right to ask Google Inc to delete personal data produced by its search engine.
Individuals have a right "to be forgotten," under certain circumstances when their personal data becomes outdated or inaccurate, the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg said.
"European consumers and digital entrepreneurs demand [a] ban of Google's manipulative favouring of own services and content," said a statement from the OIP says, which includes digital publishers Axel Springer and CCM Benchmark along with various online publishers, tour operators, and consumer associations.
The world's top internet search engine reached a deal with EU in February in which it agreed to display rivals' links more prominently in a bid to end a three-year case and avoid a fine of up to €5 billion (See: EU antitrust chief defends Google deal, denies gentlemen's agreement ).
"This has been a very long and very thorough investigation," Google executive Kent Walker said about the agreement.
But rivals, including companies included in the OIP, argue that the concessions do not go far enough and will only entrench Google's dominance of online market.
"The European Commission ... is planning to give in to the giant by concluding a settlement largely behind closed doors that would in principle legalise Google's self-preference," said the statement.
They are demanding a thorough analysis of all Google's anti-competitive practices, impose a review mechanism for algorithm changes and impose obligations on Google to supply or licence its data, among other elements.
