The investigation is Europe’s fourth into Google, with Google-owned video-sharing platform YouTube catching the investigator’s attention this time around.
As part of the European Commission’s antitrust probe, the “obligation” to use Google services, such as the Good Ads platform to purchase online display ads, will be examined. The European Commission has also stated that it will assess the “obligation” to use Google Ad Manager. The platform facilitates the sales and purchases of ads across several ad networks, serving online display on YouTube. YouTube has a strong market position, with its ads constituting around $6 billion of Alphabet’s first-quarter profits this year. The figure is 11% of Google’s total income over that period.
Google has said it will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission whilst demonstrating the benefits of its products and services to businesses across Europe.
