Google wins years-long Mexico antitrust battle, avoids billion-dollar fines as regulators shut case
MEXICO CITY, June 14 — Mexico's antitrust watchdog said yesterday it had closed a case against Google, clearing the tech giant from any potential fines, after a multi-year investigation determined it did not engage in monopolistic practices in the country.
The investigation by Mexico's Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece), which began in 2020, focused on Google's digital advertising services via its search page as well as third-party websites.
The investigation focused on Google's advertising services via its search page as well as third-party websites, examining whether the company had an undue advantage over competitors in the digital advertising sector stemming from the design of its platform for buying online advertising.
Cofece said in a statement on Friday that its analysis had determined that Google users were not required to purchase advertising on third-party websites in order to purchase advertising on the Google search engine.
'We appreciate COFECE's decision recognising that our products give advertisers the freedom and control to use our tools in the ways that best suit their needs,' a Google spokesperson said.
Google had been facing a fine of up to 8 per cent of its annual revenue in Mexico if Cofece determined it engaged in monopolistic practices.
Google parent Alphabet does not include specific revenue numbers for Mexico in its earnings reports, but according to annual results for 2024, the company's revenue for its 'other Americas' region, which includes Latin America, was about US$20.4 billion (RM86.6 billion).
Google is facing antitrust challenges around the world as regulators fear how its search engine gives it an advantage.
In the United States, a US district judge last year ruled Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search and related advertising.
The US Justice Department and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices.
In a separate case, a US federal judge said Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the Justice Department saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange. — Reuters
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