Google rivals line up seeking damages after record $1 billion EU fine

Google is facing lawsuits from smaller rivals across Europe, according to half a dozen lawyers and litigation financiers, and a tally of cases filed in half a dozen countries. This follows a $1 billion fine, the first under the Digital Markets Act, imposed on the company for favoring its own services and preventing app developers from steering users to cheaper options outside its app store Google Play. A Berlin court in November awarded Idealo €465 million ($528.9 million) in damages, the most ever awarded by a court in Germany for an antitrust infringement.

Thomas Hoppner, a partner at Geradin Partners, which advised German price comparison platform Idealo for market abuse, said, "I think this will trigger a new wave of litigation." He added that specialized search firms "may seek damages, possibly not just for the period of the DMA but also for the years prior to the DMA breaches" under Article 102. Google said there is no merit in the claims. A Google spokesperson said, "We strongly disagree with these lawsuits, which are brought by companies looking for a payout instead of investing in their own products."