France slaps Google with $267 million fine for online ad dominance

After ruling that Google had exploited its dominating market position for putting online adverts, France's competition regulator 'Autorite de la Concurrence' penalised it 220 million euros ($267 million).

It's the latest in a series of European fines levied against Google, which has minimal competition in the European search engine market.

The fine is part of a deal reached after three media companies — News Corporation, Le Figaro, and Groupe Rossel of Belgium — accused Google of essentially trying to monopolise internet ad sales.

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In 2019, the agency had fined Google 150 million euros ($166 million) saying the methods used by Google Ads are “opaque and difficult to understand” and that the company applies them in an “unequal and arbitrary way.”

(With inputs from agencies)