CCI imposes a fine of Rs. 1 crore on Google

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs. 1 Crore on Google for its inability to comply with the directions given by the Director General (DG) seeking information and documents.
Why Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs. 1 crore on Google?
Competition Commission of India (CCI) is probing Google for anti-competitive and unfair practices. A case was registered with CCI by BharatMatrimony and Consumer Unity & Trust Society that Google is abusing its dominant position in internet advertising market and pushing its own services and unfairly promoting the services of companies willing to pay more money to it.
Measures taken by CCI:

• CCI has imposed a fine of Rs 1 Crore on Google.
• CCI has sent a questionnaire to various web entities, asking their views on whether Google is unjustly promoting its own services and abusing its dominant position in the search and advertisement business to the damage position of other websites and portals in India.

Is this the first time Google has been charged for it alleged anti-competitive and unfair practices?

No, this is not the first time. Google’s alleged anti-competitive practices are not new.
In 2013, the US Federal Trade Commission keeping a watch on Google’s business practices, shut its antitrust review following an assurance by Google to make two changes to its search and AdWords business.
In February 2014, Google reached an agreement with European Commission, inquiring Google’s unfair trade practices, that Google will show results from at least 3 competitors each time Google shows its own results for searches related to shopping and travel.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2014