Google hit with $1bn EU fine for Play Store and search shenanigans
The European Commission has fined Google €890 million ($1.01 billion) for violations of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), targeting the tech giant’s app distribution and search ranking practices.
The enforcement action identifies two primary breaches. Google prioritizes its own services on Google Search over competing alternatives, constituting unlawful self-preferencing. Additionally, Google restricts app developers from freely directing consumers toward alternative and cheaper offers outside the Google Play Store—a practice termed “steering.”
Under DMA provisions, developers should be able to freely communicate alternative offers to customers and direct them to third-party stores and websites. The Commission’s investigation, which began in 2024, determined that Google systematically prevents this capability, maintaining preferential treatment for its own platform.
Google has 60 days to address the violations and comply with Commission orders. Non-compliance carries escalating penalties of up to 5% of Google’s total worldwide annual turnover, potentially exposing the company to significantly larger fines. This enforcement action represents a major regulatory milestone in the EU’s campaign to regulate major technology platforms and enforce fair competition in digital markets, particularly regarding app distribution equity and search result neutrality.