Britain’s antitrust regulator said on Friday it had provisionally found that Alphabet Inc’s Google had abused its dominant position in digital advertising to restrict competition.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it believed Google was using anti-competitive practices in its open advertising technology by favouring its own ads, which could harm thousands of UK publishers and advertisers.
“We have found in principle that Google is using its market power to hinder competition in the advertising people see on its websites,” said Juliet Enser, acting chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority.
“Many businesses are able to continue offering their digital content for free or at cheaper prices by using online advertising as a way to generate revenue. Ads on these sites and apps reach millions of people across the UK, helping to buy and sell goods and services,” she added.
Google said it disagreed with the CMA’s view and would respond accordingly.
“Our ad technology tools help websites and apps monetize their content and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers,” said Dan Taylor, Google’s vice president of global advertising.
“Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive industry. At its core, this case is based on misinterpretations of the ad tech industry,” he added.
The US Department of Justice and the European Commission are investigating Google’s ad tech activities.
