Google to Face 'Modest' Fine in EU Ad-Tech Probe: Reuters Reports

Google is set to face a "modest" fine in a four-year European probe into its advertising technology practices. The penalty is expected to be lighter compared to past fines. The European Commission is expected to announce the fine in the coming weeks.

Google is set to face a "modest" fine in a four-year European probe into its advertising technology (adtech) practices. The penalty is expected to be lighter compared to past fines. The European Commission is anticipated to announce the fine in the coming weeks.

The decision by the European Commission follows a four-year-long investigation triggered by a complaint from the European Publishers Council. The investigation led to charges in 2023 that Google favored its own advertising services over competitors. The EU's new antitrust chief, Teresa Ribera, is adopting a more compliance-focused approach compared to her predecessor, Margrethe Vestager, who focused on imposing large financial penalties [1].

The fine, expected to be smaller than previous penalties, reflects Ribera's strategy of curbing anti-competitive practices rather than imposing big fines. The investigation stems from a complaint by the European Publishers Council that Google favored its own advertising services over rivals, a practice that has drawn scrutiny from EU regulators [1].

Google's adtech business generated $264.6 billion in revenue in 2024, accounting for 75.6% of the company's total revenue [2]. The upcoming fine is not the first regulatory action against Google, with the EU also investigating Google's AI Overviews feature and the UK's competition watchdog looking into the company's search and search advertising dominance [1].

The EU has not demanded the divestiture of any part of Google's adtech operations, unlike previous suggestions by Vestager. Google has consistently challenged the EU's interpretation of the adtech sector, arguing that publishers and advertisers have numerous choices and that users choose its services voluntarily. However, the EU's enforcement actions continue to shape the digital competition landscape [1].

The broader regulatory environment is also influenced by developments in the U.S., where a federal court is set to rule on whether Google must spin off its Chrome browser. A ruling in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice could set a precedent for EU policy, although a European-led breakup of Google remains unlikely due to political and legal constraints [1].

The European Commission accused Google of abusing its dominance in the online AdTech industry since 2014. The regulator alleged that the company had wielded its market power on both sides of the supply chain by showing favoritism toward its own ad exchange, AdX, in matching auctions [3].

Google argued that serving both advertisers and publishers is a common industry practice, competitors operate similar AdTech businesses catering to both sides of the market, and integrated technology stacks facilitate high-quality connections between advertisers and publishers.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/google-set-to-face-modest-eu-antitrust-fine-in-adtech-investigation-sources-say/article69992020.ece
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/google-faces-modest-eu-antitrust-fine-adtech-investigation-2508/
[3] https://www.pymnts.com/legal/2025/european-commission-to-impose-modest-penalties-in-google-adtech-case/