Turkey fines Google $25.6M for breaching law

Google breaches law by complicating organic results and placing ads at top, competition board says

By Merve Ozlem Cakir

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish authorities have fined Google 196.7 million Turkish liras ($25.6 million) for breaching the country's competition law.

Previously, the Competition Board opened an investigation upon a complaint that the tech giant abused its position to give an unfair edge to some companies.

The board ruled that Google breached the law by complicating organic search results in the content services market by placing text ads intensively and uncertainly at the top of the general search results, according to information received by Anadolu Agency.

The investigation included Turkish Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama Ltd., Google International LLC, Google LLC, Google Ireland Ltd., and Alphabet Inc., it added.

In March 2019, the European Commission also slapped a $1.69-billion fine on Google for breaching the EU’s anti-trust rules on online advertising.

*Writing and contributions by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul

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