European Union regulators fined Alphabet’s Google €890 million ($1 billion) on Thursday for breaching the bloc’s landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking the first financial penalty levied against the tech giant under the sweeping new regulations designed to curb Big Tech’s market power.
The European Commission’s decision covers two separate violations involving market dominance. Regulators found that Google engaged in self-preferencing by favoring its own commercial and vertical services in search results over competing platforms, while also enforcing restrictive anti-steering rules that prevented app developers from directing users to cheaper purchasing options outside the Google Play store. EU Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen stated that Google’s practices restricted competition and reduced visibility for rival businesses trying to reach European consumers.
Despite the hefty fine, EU officials noted that Google is unlikely to face immediate daily non-compliance penalties, citing constructive progress in the company’s efforts to adjust its platforms to meet DMA standards. The action comes amid heightened geopolitical friction over tech regulation, as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized European antitrust enforcement against American technology firms.
