EU Initiates Antitrust Inquiry Against Google's Advertising Technology - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Brussels has launched a formal antitrust probe against Alphabet Inc GOOG GOOGL Google to explore a possible breach of the E.U. rules by offering unfair advantages to its online display ad technology against the rivals, the Financial Times reports.
The investigation will scrutinize whether Google distorted competition by restricting access by third parties to user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps while reserving such data for its use.
The review has been underway informally since at least 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Some of the E.U.’s investigation will cover similar ground akin to the case filed by a group of states in 2020 for allegedly favoring its ad-buying tools in the advertising auctions it runs.
However, the E.U. probe will also cover complaints, including Google’s alleged exclusion of competitors from brokering ad buys on Google-owned video site YouTube.
The E.U. will also examine Google’s plans to block certain user-tracking technologies on its platforms like the Chrome browser and Android mobile operating system.
Price action: GOOG shares closed higher by 0.71% at $2,529.1 on Monday.