The European Union has fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion) for breaching digital antitrust laws. The EU accuses Google of steering consumers towards its own services via Google Play and its search engine, harming competition.

Brussels has been at the forefront of regulating major tech companies globally, from Silicon Valley to China. These measures continue amid tensions with President Donald Trump, who criticized EU digital regulations and threatened retaliatory actions, including tariffs. Trump previously warned of consequences if American tech firms faced penalties.

Google recently lost an appeal against a $4.5 billion antitrust fine. This penalty was also imposed by the EU for reducing competition through the dominance of its Android mobile operating system.

The European Commission, responsible for enforcing antitrust laws, justified its actions by prioritizing consumer interests following its investigation of Google. Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, emphasized that superior products should succeed due to quality, not simply because they are owned by the search engine’s parent company. Ribera stated that app developers should guide consumers to the best offers, regardless of the app store owner’s profit share.

However, Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs, criticized the fine, calling it a move led by a minority of profit-driven complainants, which he argued would negatively affect both European businesses and consumers. Walker noted that the EU’s Digital Markets Act compels Google to eliminate popular features like real-time search information for hotels, flights, and restaurants, and to remove safety measures on Google Play.

The EU has categorized seven tech giants – Amazon, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the owner of TikTok – as gatekeepers, pivotal in ensuring fair consumer access. EU Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier stated that businesses must compete fairly and that gatekeepers have a duty to maintain a level playing field for consumer choice and alternative options.

Alphabet reported $403 billion in revenue in 2025.