Google has been slapped with a hefty fine of 250 million euros by France’s competition watchdog over a dispute involving payments to French news publishers. This comes after Google failed to meet specific commitments it made during negotiations.
The ordeal is part of a more significant push by authorities worldwide to ensure tech giants like Google compensate news outlets for their content.
This dispute reflects broader efforts by authorities globally, including those in the European Union, to compel tech giants like Google to compensate news publishers for their content. The issue arose after a court in 2020 upheld an order requiring Google to negotiate payments under a 2019 European Union copyright directive.
In response, Google has agreed to settle the fine, stating it’s time to move forward. However, the company criticized the fine as disproportionate and claimed it didn’t adequately consider Google’s efforts to address concerns.
France was the first EU nation to adopt the copyright directive, which outlines a framework for publishers and news companies to broker licensing deals with online platforms.
The decision by the French Competition Authority marks the fourth time in as many years that Google has faced penalties for failing to adhere to the EU legal framework aimed at fostering fair negotiations between press agencies, publishers, and digital platforms.
Previously, the French antitrust agency had issued temporary orders to Google in April 2020, instructing it to hold talks with news publishers within three months. Additionally, in 2021, the agency fined Google 500 million euros for failing to negotiate a fair payment for publishers’ news.
