Google Is Fined $3.5 Billion for Breaking Europe’s Antitrust Laws

Google Slammed with $3.5 Billion EU Fine Over Antitrust Violations

In a landmark decision that reverberated across the tech world, the European Union has fined Google a staggering €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) for breaching the bloc’s antitrust laws.

The penalty, announced on September 5, 2025, marks the fourth major antitrust action against the tech giant by the EU and underscores Brussels’ intensifying scrutiny of dominant digital platforms.

At the heart of the ruling lies Google’s advertising technology business. The European Commission found that Google had systematically favored its own ad exchange services over competitors, thereby distorting fair competition in the digital advertising market. This “self-preferencing” behavior, regulators argued, gave Google’s platforms an unfair edge, harming rival services and limiting choices for publishers and advertisers alike.

EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera emphasized that digital markets must be grounded in fairness and transparency. She warned that if Google fails to comply with the Commission’s orders, stronger remedies, including forced divestment of parts of its ad-tech business, could follow. The Commission has given Google 60 days to present a plan for compliance, including steps to eliminate conflicts of interest within its advertising supply chain.

Google, however, has pushed back forcefully. Lee-Anne Mulholland, the company’s global head of regulatory affairs, called the decision “wrong” and “unjustified,” arguing that the mandated changes would hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to monetize their content. The company confirmed its intention to appeal the ruling, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle.

This latest fine adds to Google’s growing list of EU penalties, which have already exceeded €8 billion over the past decade. Previous cases targeted its Android operating system and search advertising practices. While some of those fines were reduced or annulled by EU courts, the Commission’s persistence signals a broader shift toward structural remedies rather than monetary penalties alone.

The ruling also comes amid heightened tensions between the EU and the United States over tech regulation. With U.S. authorities pursuing their own antitrust cases against Google, including calls to divest its Chrome browser and Ad Manager platform, the global regulatory landscape for Big Tech is becoming increasingly hostile.

As Google prepares its appeal, the outcome of this case could reshape the future of digital advertising in Europe and beyond. Whether the EU’s aggressive stance will lead to meaningful change or further entrench legal gridlock remains to be seen.