A total of over $13 billion worth of compensation has been filed against Google for violating competition rules in price comparison services. In addition to ongoing antitrust cases in the US, Google’s market dominance has also begun to be questioned in Europe.

Google faces $13 billion in compensation

The European Commission previously fined Google €2.42 billion in 2017. There are currently 12 separate lawsuits filed in Germany, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The total value of the 9 lawsuits announced exceeds $13 billion.

The companies filing lawsuits include powerful companies such as Germany-based Idealo, Italy’s Trovaprezzi, and Sweden’s Pricerunner. While Idealo is demanding $3.9 billion from Google, Trovaprezzi states that it suffered $3.3 billion in damages between 2010 and 2017.

These companies claim that Google systematically highlights its own price comparison services in search results, thus stealing user traffic from other rival platforms. It has been claimed that this practice not only affects fair competition in the sector, but also directly affects consumer preferences.

Google management, on the other hand, denies the accusations against it and describes the lawsuits as “baseless.” While the company’s legal battle in Europe continues, the legal basis for the advantages it provides through its search engine services may once again become a topic of discussion.

So what do you think about this issue? What do you think Google should do in the face of these accusations? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.