Google under European Union microscope for first time
Google facing first European Union competition inquiry after three internet firms complained about its market monopoly
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 24, Feb 2010 10:23
By Matthew Champion.
Google is facing its first European Union competition inquiry after three internet firms complained the search engine giant is abusing its dominant market position.
The Californian-based firm, which has a 90 per cent market share in the UK, is being accused of promoting its own services on organic online searches.
UK-based Foundem, Ciao, recently taken over by Microsoft, and ejustice.fr have all submitted antitrust complaints to the European Commission, which is due to launch a probe into how Google calculates its search results.
Foundem accused Google last year of applying a 'search penalty', claiming that when the penalty was lifted in December its traffic from Google searches increased by 10,000 per cent.
But Google has dismissed the complaints as unfounded and largely driven by its main competitor Microsoft.
"While we will be providing feedback and additional information on these complaints, we are confident that our business operates in the interests of users and partners, as well as in line with European competition law," said Julia Holtz, a lawyer for the firm.