The European Commission on Tuesday launched an antitrust investigation into whether Google violated European Union competition rules by utilizing content from web publishers and YouTube on unfair terms.
The probe will examine whether Google relied on publishers’ material to power its generative AI services without compensation and without giving them a genuine option to refapply apply without risking traffic losses from Google Search. It will also view into whether YouTube videos and other content were applyd to train Google’s AI models without compensating creators or allowing them to opt out, while rival developers were blocked from utilizing YouTube content.
The commission stated the case would be treated as a priority.
Google has faced mounting scrutiny in Europe. In September, the EU fined the company 2.95 billion euros ($3.34 billion) for antitrust violations in online advertising. In November, regulators opened a separate investigation into whether Google breached the Digital Markets Act by demoting media publishers’ content in search results.
Other U.S. tech firms have also come under pressure. Last week, the commission opened a formal antitrust probe into Meta and fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X 120 million euros ($139.8 million) in its first non‑compliance ruling under the Digital Services Act.
Washington has criticized the EU’s regulatory actions as unfairly tarreceiveing American companies. Musk, reacting to the fine against X, warned Saturday that his response would be directed at the officials responsible for the penalty.
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