The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today calls on the European Union to step up its action against Google following the European Commission’s decision to impose a 2.95 billion euro fine on the company for anti-competitive practices through its dominance of the online advertising and advertising technology (adtech) services.
The Commission found that Google breached EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in the adtech industry to favour its own digital advertising services, which disadvantaged other adtech services, advertisers, and online publishers – which includes news media outlets.
In addition to the fine, the Commission also ordered Google to resolve its conflict of interests in the adtech supply chain where Google dominates buyer and seller apps (Google Ads and Double Click) and the main ad exchange, AdX.
The Commission also restated its preliminary conclusion that “only the mandatory divestment by Google of part of its services would address the situation of inherent conflicts of interest.” It added that the failure to remedy this situation internally would lead the Commission to impose its own “strong remedies” through legal and regulatory means. Google has 60 days to explain how it will respond.
The MFRR welcomes the long overdue action taken against Google, and urges the European Commission to go the extra step and insist on the full break up of the company’s advertising services.
Ending Google’s unfair monopoly over digital advertising revenue is a critical step in rebalancing the market and redirecting essential ad revenue to the media and publishers.
The three billion euro fine is a modest punishment for a company that posted a global advertising revenue of 248 billion U.S. Dollars in 2024 and generated net profits from advertising in the EU of around 15 billion euros in 2023. The only way to end the abuse of the dominant position in the market is to end the dominant position in the market and to insist that Google breaks up its digital advertising empire.
In 2024, European publishers sued Google for 2.1 billion euros for loss of profits as a result of Google’s abuse of the Adtech market. A recent report on the US market estimated that the combined anti-competitive practices of Google and Meta cost U.S publishers 14 billion dollars a year.
Meanwhile, on September 22, a U.S. Court will start proceedings on whether to force Google to divest its adtech assets following a guilty ruling against the company for maintaining an illegal monopoly in online advertising.
The European Commission has prioritised fighting disinformation and preserving Europe’s stumbling democracies under the Democracy Shield initiative. The most effective way to combat disinformation is to ensure a healthy, pluralistic media sector.
Enforcement of anti-trust laws that ensure Europe’s market for news, information and advertising is free and fair and not compromised by big tech’s anti-competitive practices is the surest way to guarantee the future of journalism and combat disinformation in the EU. This must be at the heart of the Democracy Shield.
If the EU Commission is serious about fighting disinformation and preserving Europe’s media sector, then it must order the breakup of Google’s ad businesses.
