Google responded to the decision of the antitrust authority in India

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2022, 12:23 PM — REGNUM The Competition Commission of India (CCI) decision to impose a fine on the US company Google due to anti-competitive practices will increase the cost of mobile devices for Indians. This was stated by Google representatives to Reuters.

Earlier, the Indian antitrust authority CCI imposed a fine of $162 million on the American holding company Alphabet (Google’s parent company). The CCI acknowledged that Google used its dominant position in the online search engine and app store market for Android devices to protect its applications, such as the Chrome browser and YouTube video hosting, from competition.

The CCI also ordered Google to change the approach to using the Android mobile operating system for its own purposes. In particular, these decisions of the American company were forbidden to enter into certain agreements on the distribution of income with smartphone manufacturers.

Google officials said the decision was “a major setback for Indian consumers and businesses.” The American company added that the result of the decision will be an increase in the cost of mobile devices for buyers in India.

BACKGROUND

Activities of the antimonopoly authorities
Amazon UK faces $1bn lawsuit
LONDON, 20 October 2022, 17:42 — REGNUM US-based Amazon faces a $1 billion fine in the UK over allegations of abuse of power to promote its own products, Reuters reported Oct. 20.

Consumer advocate Julie Hunter plans to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of UK consumers who have purchased items from Amazon since October 2016.

Law firm Hausfeld, which represents Hunter, also previously said that Amazon violated competition law and resorted to using “secret self-beneficial algorithms” to promote its own products.

An Amazon spokesperson responded by saying that the company believes the lawsuit is unfounded and “I’m sure that will become clear during the course of the lawsuit.”

The Competition Commission of India (CCI), the country’s antitrust regulator, is investigating Google over Android. The case was opened back in April, but the official statement was published by the department only last week.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by two junior CCI officers, Umar Javid and Sukarma Thapar, and Umar’s brother, Aaqvib, a law student who interned with the commission in 2018. All three declined to comment on the matter.

Although CCI employees usually do not file complaints against companies themselves, there was no wrongdoing in this case. They acted on their own behalf, and all of them were already 20 years old.

In their application, the employees mentioned the decision of the European Commission in the Android case, according to which Google was fined $ 5 billion. At the same time, their complaint concerns both Google LLC and the Indian branch of the company.

A preliminary CCI investigation found that in India, Google has a dominant position in the mobile operating system market and may be abusing its position.

Google did not respond to a request for comment.

The company said earlier that it is working with CCI to demonstrate how Android can help drive competition and innovation, rather than hurt them.

What fine the company faces if the regulator reveals violations is still unknown. According to Indian media, in 2018, Google India generated over $1.3 billion in revenue.