World Signal

The European Union has imposed a record penalty of €2.95 billion (around $3.5 billion) on Google, accusing the company of abusing its dominance in the digital advertising market. This decision was handed down on Friday, September 5, 2025 , by the European Commission in Brussels (Belgium), the body responsible for enforcing EU competition laws. According to the Commission, since 2014 Google has given an unfair edge to its own advertising technology services, particularly AdX and DFP , while restricting rivals from competing on a level playing field. Because of these practices, advertisers had to spend more money to display their ads, while publishers received lower returns from the ads displayed on their platforms. The distortion in the market also affected ordinary users, who ultimately faced higher prices and fewer choices in online services. The ruling obliges Google to bring these practices to an end and submit a workable compliance plan within 60 days. If the company’s ...