Google Slapped With $36 Million Fine Amid Anti-Competitive Practices In Australia

Alphabet‘s Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has agreed to pay a hefty fine of $36 million in Australia. This comes after allegations of anti-competitive practices involving the country’s two largest telecom companies.

Google Faces Fine In ACCC Search Deal Case

Google faced allegations of stifling competition by paying Telstra and Optus to pre-install its search app on Android devices, effectively shutting out rival search engines. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) stated that Google acknowledged the arrangement, which was in place from late 2019 to early 2021, significantly affected competition and has since ceased entering into such agreements, as per Reuters on Monday.

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Google and the ACCC have jointly proposed to the Federal Court that Google pay a fine of A$55 million ($36 Million), though the court has yet to rule on its appropriateness.

According to a Google spokesperson, the company welcomed the resolution of the ACCC's concerns and emphasized ...