EU accuses Google of favoring its own travel services

Commission cites violations of Digital Markets Act in search and app store practices; Google defends its approach

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings accusing Google's parent company, Alphabet, of breaching the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) by prioritizing its own hotel and flight services over those of competitors in search results and limiting app developers' ability to direct users to alternative offers through Google Play.

Key takeaways

• Alphabet is accused of self-preferencing its own services in search results with prominent display and enhanced features.
• The Commission claims this behavior violates the Digital Markets Act, which aims to ensure fair competition.
• Google is also criticized for restricting app developers from redirecting users to competing offers via Google Play.
• The Commission has not yet issued a final ruling but may declare non-compliance if Alphabet doesn’t address the issues.
• Google responded by calling the findings misguided, claiming the required changes harm European businesses and lead to higher consumer costs.

Get the full story at the European Commission and Google