The EU Fines Google $1 Billion for Prioritizing Its Own Services in Search
The EU Fines Google $1 Billion for Prioritizing Its Own Services in Search
欧盟对谷歌处以 10 亿美元罚款，因其在搜索中优先展示自家服务
The European Commission has levied a $1 billion penalty against Google over alleged competition law violations. 欧盟委员会因谷歌涉嫌违反竞争法，对其处以 10 亿美元的罚款。
An EC investigation found that Google had abused its dominance in the European Union’s search and app store markets to funnel people toward its own apps and services, in violation of the EU’s Digital Markets Act. 欧盟委员会的一项调查发现，谷歌滥用了其在欧盟搜索和应用商店市场的主导地位，将用户引向其自家的应用程序和服务，这违反了欧盟的《数字市场法案》。
The body has ordered Google to refrain from giving preferential treatment to its own services—such as shopping, accommodations, transport, and flights—in search rankings. Google must also allow app developers to communicate and transact with users outside the Play Store, where it takes a commission on sales. 该机构已责令谷歌不得在搜索排名中对其自家服务（如购物、住宿、交通和航班）给予优待。谷歌还必须允许应用开发者在 Play Store 之外与用户进行沟通和交易，而此前谷歌会从这些销售中抽取佣金。
“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine,” says Teresa Ribera, an executive vice president at the EC. “European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut.” “最好的产品应该因为它们本身更出色而成功，而不是因为它们属于运营搜索引擎的公司，”欧盟委员会执行副主席特蕾莎·里贝拉（Teresa Ribera）表示。“欧洲消费者有权从应用开发者那里获知在哪里可以注册到最优惠的服务，即使应用商店的所有者无法从中抽成。”
In a statement to WIRED, Google said it would consider appealing the penalty. 在给《连线》（WIRED）的一份声明中，谷歌表示将考虑对该处罚提出上诉。
“This isn’t fair competition; it’s product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants, with European businesses and consumers taking the hit,” says Kent Walker, president of global affairs at Google. “这不是公平竞争；这是由一小群自私的投诉者所驱动的产品降级，最终受损的是欧洲企业和消费者，”谷歌全球事务总裁肯特·沃克（Kent Walker）说道。
Tech industry trade associations argue that heavy-handed enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is self-defeating. “Reducing the quality of what Europeans have access to is not a positive outcome,” Daniel Friedlaender, senior vice president at trade organization CCIA Europe, tells WIRED. 科技行业贸易协会认为，对《数字市场法案》的强硬执法适得其反。贸易组织 CCIA Europe 的高级副总裁丹尼尔·弗里德兰德（Daniel Friedlaender）告诉《连线》：“降低欧洲人所能获取的服务质量并不是一个积极的结果。”
The EU has brought numerous multi-billion-dollar fines against Google in the last decade over a medley of antitrust violations. In early July, a European court upheld a record $4.1 billion fine brought against Google in 2018 over agreements that required phone makers to install Google Search and the company’s Chrome web browser on their devices. 在过去十年中，欧盟因各种反垄断违规行为对谷歌处以了多次数十亿美元的罚款。7 月初，一家欧洲法院维持了 2018 年对谷歌处以的 41 亿美元创纪录罚款，该罚款源于谷歌要求手机制造商在其设备上预装谷歌搜索和 Chrome 浏览器的协议。
“Certainly, the stakes are really high for companies. How they are ranked affects their businesses a great deal,” says Kathryn McMahon, an associate professor of law at the University of Warwick. “The way EU competition law looks at it, firms in a dominant position—like Google—have a special responsibility not to distort competition.” “当然，这对企业来说利害攸关。它们的排名方式对业务影响巨大，”华威大学法学副教授凯瑟琳·麦克马洪（Kathryn McMahon）表示。“从欧盟竞争法的角度来看，处于主导地位的公司（如谷歌）负有不扭曲竞争的特殊责任。”
To address the latest complaints, Google has proposed alterations to the way it administers the Play Store and presents its products in search rankings, which the EC has characterized as “progress towards compliance.” 为了应对最新的投诉，谷歌提议对其管理 Play Store 的方式以及在搜索排名中展示其产品的方式进行调整，欧盟委员会将其定性为“迈向合规的进展”。
Recently, US president Donald Trump vowed to impose steep new tariffs on European countries that seek to restrict American technology companies. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. 最近，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普誓言要对那些试图限制美国科技公司的欧洲国家征收高额新关税。白宫未回应置评请求。
The latest penalty is “quite a strong response, in the context of the transatlantic complaints—the way that Trump can leverage fines,” says McMahon. “It shows the commission is willing to be tough.” “在跨大西洋投诉的背景下，以及特朗普利用罚款作为筹码的方式来看，最新的处罚是一个相当强硬的回应，”麦克马洪说。“这表明欧盟委员会愿意采取强硬态度。”