Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News
      Plenty of software developer jobs, few applicants: Pnet flags skills gap - Anja Bates

      South Africa is running out of software developers

      16 January 2026
      Iran takes on Starlink in high-stakes bid to silence dissent

      Iran takes on Starlink in high-stakes bid to silence dissent

      16 January 2026
      Consumer demand driving a shift in online payments

      Shoppers forcing merchants to adopt new digital payment methods

      15 January 2026
      Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

      Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

      15 January 2026
      Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants' reliance on its content

      Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants’ reliance on its content

      15 January 2026
    • World
      Uganda shuts down internet ahead of pivotal election

      Uganda shuts down internet ahead of pivotal election

      14 January 2026
      Work begins on what will be Africa's biggest airport

      Work begins on what will be Africa’s biggest airport

      13 January 2026
      India seeks unprecedented access to smartphone software - Narendra Modi

      India seeks unprecedented access to smartphone software

      12 January 2026
      Samsung forecasts record operating profit as AI demand sends memory chip prices sharply higher worldwide - TM Roh

      Samsung cashes in on AI data centre boom as memory prices soar

      8 January 2026
      EU pressure mounts on Musk's X over AI 'undressing' images - Wolfram Weimer

      EU pressure mounts on Musk’s X over AI ‘undressing’ images

      7 January 2026
    • In-depth
      Digital authoritarianism grows as African states normalise internet blackouts

      Digital authoritarianism grows as African states normalise internet blackouts

      19 December 2025
      TechCentral's South African Newsmakers of 2025

      TechCentral’s South African Newsmakers of 2025

      18 December 2025
      Black Friday goes digital in South Africa as online spending surges to record high

      Black Friday goes digital in South Africa as online spending surges to record high

      4 December 2025
      DStv dodges channel blackout in last-minute deal with Warner Bros

      Canal+ plays hardball – and DStv viewers feel the pain

      3 December 2025
      Jensen Huang Nvidia

      So, will China really win the AI race?

      14 November 2025
    • TCS
      TCS+ | Africa's digital transformation - unlocking AI through cloud and culture - Cliff de Wit Accelera Digital Group

      TCS+ | Cloud without culture won’t deliver AI: Accelera’s Cliff de Wit

      12 December 2025
      TCS+ | How Cloud on Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem - Odwa Ndyaluvane and Xenia Rhode

      TCS+ | How Cloud On Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem

      4 December 2025
      TCS | MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile

      TCS | Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile

      28 November 2025
      TCS | Dominic Cull on fixing South Africa's ICT policy bottlenecks

      TCS | Dominic Cull on fixing South Africa’s ICT policy bottlenecks

      21 November 2025
      TCS | BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa's automotive industry

      TCS | BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa’s automotive industry

      6 November 2025
    • Opinion
      ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

      ANC’s attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality

      14 December 2025
      Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice - Duncan McLeod

      Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice

      5 December 2025
      BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa's banks - Entersekt Gerhard Oosthuizen

      BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa’s banks

      3 December 2025
      ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

      Your data, your hardware: the DIY AI revolution is coming

      20 November 2025
      Zero Carbon Charge founder Joubert Roux

      The energy revolution South Africa can’t afford to miss

      20 November 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • IQbusiness
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Netstar
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Vodacom Business
      • Wipro
      • Workday
      • XLink
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Financial services
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Satellite communications
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Top » Google under renewed antitrust attack

    Google under renewed antitrust attack

    By Agency Staff14 July 2016
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    google-640

    Google faced a new antitrust attack from European Union regulators who allege the search engine skews results in its own favour and unfairly restricts rival online advertising platforms.

    The European Commission sent the Alphabet unit two statements of objections Thursday, widening a five-year probe and delaying a threat of fines. It adds to an antitrust complaint over Google’s mobile phone software Android earlier this year.

    EU regulators said they have “a broad range of additional evidence and data” to reinforce their view that Google systematically favours its own comparison-shopping service in its general search results. The company’s conduct “has weakened or even marginalised competition from its closest rivals”, they said in a statement.

    Google also hindered competition for online ads with its AdSense for Search product to place advertising on websites, including retailers, telecommunications operators and newspapers, the EU said. Google prevented customers from accepting rival search ads from 2006 and maintained restrictions on how rival ads were displayed when it altered contracts in 2009.

    “We believe that our innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition,” Google said in a statement on Thursday. “We’ll examine the commission’s renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks.”

    The EU has expanded its investigations into Google’s business practices since Margrethe Vestager took over as the bloc’s antitrust chief in late 2014.

    “This demonstrates her determination to pursue the matter vigorously and to follow the investigation wherever it leads,” said Thomas Vinje, a lawyer with Clifford Chance who represents FairSearch Europe, whose members include Expedia and Nokia.

    “Additional statements of objections have proved necessary in several other complex, high-profile cases against determined opponents, including both Microsoft and Intel in the early 2000s,’ he said.

    The probe targeting advertising could affect Google’s revenue stream more than either of the other two probes. Google’s AdWords, which displays promotions alongside query results and web content, has been a key driver in helping Alphabet Inc.’s Google grow its sales. Most of Google’s US$74,5bn in 2015 revenue came from advertising.

    The shopping search probe, opened in 2010, alleges that Google doesn’t subject its shopping service to its algorithm which ranks search results on quality and relevance to the user. It may also set a precedent for other services, such as flight, travel and mapping.

    Aside from Google antitrust scrutiny on at least three fronts — search, advertising and Android — the EU is also probing complaints on its use of copyrighted content from publishers. EU technology regulators have hinted at possible rules on legal liability for online platforms like Google.  — (c) 2016 Bloomberg LP

    • Reported with assistance from Stephanie Bodoni


    Alphabet Google
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleWhat’s made Pokémon Go a viral hit
    Next Article More anti-Uber violence in Cape Town

    Related Posts

    Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants' reliance on its content

    Wikipedia moves to monetise AI giants’ reliance on its content

    15 January 2026
    Alphabet tops $4-trillion valuation

    Alphabet tops $4-trillion valuation

    13 January 2026
    India seeks unprecedented access to smartphone software - Narendra Modi

    India seeks unprecedented access to smartphone software

    12 January 2026
    Company News
    Learn before you leap with Binance: why crypto education matters - Hannes Wessels

    Learn before you leap with Binance: why crypto education matters

    15 January 2026
    Why enterprises are turning to Cohesity for cyber resilience - Axiz

    Why enterprises are turning to Cohesity for cyber resilience

    15 January 2026
    Breaking free from legacy thinking in banks: AI, automation and the agentic operating model - Steve Burke iqbusiness

    Breaking free from legacy thinking in banks: AI, automation and the agentic operating model

    15 January 2026
    Opinion
    ANC's attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality - Duncan McLeod

    ANC’s attack on Solly Malatsi shows how BEE dogma trumps economic reality

    14 December 2025
    Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice - Duncan McLeod

    Netflix, Warner Bros deal raises fresh headaches for MultiChoice

    5 December 2025
    BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa's banks - Entersekt Gerhard Oosthuizen

    BIN scans, DDoS and the next cybercrime wave hitting South Africa’s banks

    3 December 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Latest Posts
    Plenty of software developer jobs, few applicants: Pnet flags skills gap - Anja Bates

    South Africa is running out of software developers

    16 January 2026
    Iran takes on Starlink in high-stakes bid to silence dissent

    Iran takes on Starlink in high-stakes bid to silence dissent

    16 January 2026
    Consumer demand driving a shift in online payments

    Shoppers forcing merchants to adopt new digital payment methods

    15 January 2026
    Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

    Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

    15 January 2026
    © 2009 - 2026 NewsCentral Media
    • Cookie policy (ZA)
    • TechCentral – privacy and Popia

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Manage consent

    TechCentral uses cookies to enhance its offerings. Consenting to these technologies allows us to serve you better. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions of the website.

    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    • Manage options
    • Manage services
    • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
    • Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    • {title}
    • {title}
    • {title}