Technology

https://archive.ph/CRFok

title: "EU hits Google with $1 billion fine over its Play app store and search" url: "https://abcnews.com/Technology/wireStory/eu-hits-google-1-billion-fine-play-app-135010885" author: "SAM MCNEIL Associated Press"

The European Union has fined Google $1 billion for breaking digital antitrust regulations

BySAM MCNEIL Associated Press

July 23, 2026, 3:08 AM

BRUSSELS -- The European Union on Thursday hit Google with a fine of 890 million euros ($1 billion) after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine to corral consumers towards its own services and apps to the detriment of competitors.

It was the latest major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels, which has led the world in reining in some of the world’s largest companies from Silicon Valley to Beijing.

Google had recently lost its appeal of a $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the EU for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating system.

The European Commission, the bloc's executive branch and highest antitrust enforcer, said it was acting in the interest of consumers after running an antitrust investigation of Google.

“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission's Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Google’s President of Global Affairs Kent Walker blasted the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” that will have a negative impact on European businesses and consumers.

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He said that the EU’s Digital Markets Act forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

Brussels has ratcheted up the pressure on U.S. and Chinese tech giants despite the risk of incurring the wrath of President Donald Trump, who has lashed out at the 27-nation bloc’s digital regulations and vowed to retaliate if American tech companies are penalized.

The EU describes the world’s seven tech giants — Amazon, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance — as “gatekeepers” that control access for consumers.

“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/49762385

Desperately trying to find a use-case for their inferior AI. I feel like their idea pool was always at absolute 0 but now it's going even below that.

Let's have MetaAI raise our kids everyone!

https://archive.ph/nqFsz

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/12269576

*Western AI companies are terrified

Anyway, what do you all think of the news?

Video is 8 minutes and 30 seconds long if you're interested.

Is it true that the DeepSeek models and that other AI model (I forgot the name already lol) can be run locally? How do they compete with Claude and OpenAI?

Also, what about that other AI thing, OpenClaw?

I am interested in AI but still very much skeptical.

I have only used Duck AI sometimes but try to avoid it.