Wed Sep 18 01:38:04 UTC 2024: ## EU Court to Rule on Google’s €1.49 Billion AdSense Fine Appeal
**Luxembourg, October 25, 2023** – The European Union’s General Court is set to deliver its verdict on Wednesday on Google’s appeal against a €1.49 billion fine imposed by the EU’s antitrust regulator. The fine was levied in 2019 for allegedly abusing Google’s dominant position through its AdSense advertising service.
This ruling comes a week after the EU’s highest court upheld a €2.42 billion fine against Google for favoring its own comparison shopping service. This legal battle marks another chapter in the escalating global scrutiny of Google and other tech giants.
The EU has been a leading force in targeting big tech abuses, fining Google a total of €8.2 billion between 2017 and 2019. The commission found that Google used its dominance in the advertising market to stifle competition from rivals.
Google is seeking to annul or significantly reduce the €1.49 billion fine, arguing that the EU’s findings are unfounded. The company also faces other legal challenges in the EU, including a €4.1 billion fine for imposing restrictions on Android smartphones.
The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to rein in tech giants before they engage in anti-competitive practices, is also targeting Google. The company is under investigation by the DMA alongside Meta and Apple.
In addition to the EU’s scrutiny, Google is facing multiple antitrust investigations in the US and UK. The US government is currently pursuing two antitrust lawsuits against Google, alleging monopoly practices in both search and advertising. UK regulators have also launched investigations into Google’s ad tech business.
Despite these challenges, Google remains a dominant force in the online advertising market. In the second quarter of 2023, the company’s revenue from online ad searches reached $48.5 billion. However, the company’s future prospects are uncertain as regulators worldwide intensify their efforts to curb the power of tech giants.
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