France just fined Google 150 million euros (approx. $167 million) for having unclear advertising on the Google Ads page, as well as for anti-competitive behavior. This is a trend in the EU. If you remember, the French government settled a fraud probe with Google for about a billion euros. The EU doesn’t like the fact that Google hoovers up over 90 percent of online advertising.
I’m not a fan of the EU’s strategy, which I can surmise to be something like: “Since we don’t have any big tech, and we don’t incentivize our people to work, and we can’t figure out how to innovate, let’s create value for our economy by suing big tech.”
Through the lens of innovation, the EU looks like a museum.
I’m sure Google did something wrong. I’m sure the French government has made their case. But, once in a while, I’d like to see a press release about something exciting and innovative coming out of the EU, as opposed to a notice about a new fine or a new case against big tech.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.