Deals
EU's Vestager Cites Data Deal Concerns After Google-Fitbit Bid
- Antitrust chief gives general warning on data-centric deals
- Also says Apple Pay service has attracted negative feedback
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European Union merger watchdogs will take a close look at any deals driven by a desire to combine user data, antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager warned in response to questions about Google’s $2.1 billion bid for smartwatch maker Fitbit Inc.
Officials “have concerns when companies merge because of data” and will examine their potential to hurt competition or trigger privacy problems, Vestager told a crowd at the Web Summit in Lisbon on Thursday. She wouldn’t be drawn into the specifics of Google’s proposed takeover.