Google’s Ad Tech Money-Machine Sparks EU Antitrust Charges
- US tech giant has already faced more than €8 billion in fines
- EU’s antitrust arm is targeting Google’s biggest money maker
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Google is set to be hit with a formal antitrust complaint from the European Union that could pave the way for massive fines and strike at the heart of the advertising technology that drives most of the US firm’s revenue.
The charge sheet, to be announced as soon as Wednesday, will target the core of the Alphabet Inc. unit’s ad tech business model, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Google’s advertising business is by far its most successful, accounting for about 80% of its annual revenue. In 2022, its ad sales amounted to about $225 billion.