On 7 July 2021, 36 US State Attorneys General, led by Utah, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, and Nebraska, filed an antitrust claim against Google in the US Courts. The claim is focused on Google’s control of the Play Store, an app store on Android devices, including the requirement that all developers…
DetailsThe European Commission (“EC”) has announced as of 28 June the formal adoption of two adequacy decisions for the United Kingdom under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Law Enforcement Directives (LEDs). The adequacy decisions recognise the UK’s personal data safeguards as being strong and will allow UK entities to continue to receive personal data from the EEA without restriction (i.e. without…
DetailsBT-owned mobile operator EE is to start charging UK customers to use their phones in Europe, having previously said it had no plans to reintroduce roaming costs after the Brexit trade deal signed at the end of 2020. UK’s trade deal encourages operators to be transparent and have reasonable rates (See here) but has not banned…
DetailsThe European Commission has today announced the opening of an investigation into Google’s conduct in the online advertising technology sector.The Commission has indicated that it is concerned Google may be violating EU competition rules by favouring its own online display advertising technology services. The investigation will, in particular, examine whether Google is distorting competition by…
DetailsThe UK Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) has announced today that it is launching a market study into Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems, due to concerns that they have market power which is harming users and other businesses. In particular, the CMA has indicated it wants to scrutinise whether the two companies’ control over the…
DetailsOn 4 June 2021, the European Commission adopted two sets of new Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCCs”), taking into account the Schrems II judgment: One set is for use between controllers and processors located in the EU/EEA (or otherwise subject to the GDPR): Effectively these SCCs contain the Art.28.3 and Art.28.4 GDPR compulsory wording) (“28.7 SCCs”);…
DetailsOn Friday 11 June 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) announced that it was minded to accept undertakings from Google to settle its antitrust investigation into the company regarding its ‘Privacy Sandbox’ proposals. The CMA launched its investigation in January 2021, following complaints from industry, including Marketers for an Open Web, a consortium of…
DetailsThe French Autorité de la Concurrence (“ADLC”) has announced a €220 million fine against Google for breach of antitrust laws by its advertising business. The ADLC opened an investigation into Google following the filing of complaints by News Corp Inc, Le Figaro Group, and Rossel La Voix Group accusing the internet giant of favouring its…
DetailsThe German Competition Regulator, the Bundeskartellamt, has today announced an investigation into Alphabet Inc, Google’s parent company, in relation to Google’s News Showcase. The News Showcase is a platform through which publisher news content is available via a Google news website or app. It appears that the Bundeskartellamt concerns relate to whether the tech giant…
DetailsThe UK Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) and the European Commission (“EC”) have both announced antitrust investigations into Facebook today. The CMA announcement indicates that the investigation will focus on “whether Facebook has gained an unfair advantage over competitors in providing services for online classified ads and online dating, through how it gathers and uses…
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