Google hit with $1 billion in fines as EU braces for Trump battle

The European Commission has fined Google more than $1 billion for breaching the Digital Markets Act, finding that it favoured its own services in Search and restricted app developers from steering users towards cheaper offers outside Google Play. The decision intensifies a wider dispute over EU regulation of US technology firms and could become a new point of tension with the Trump administration.

Google was fined $522 million over Search self-preferencing and $488 million over anti-steering rules, and has 60 days to change its services or face daily penalties. It has already begun altering its Google Play terms and testing changes to Search results, shopping content and AI products; meanwhile, 25 Republican lawmakers have urged President Trump to consider trade retaliation against the EU.