South Korean antitrust authorities have fined Google 42.1 billion won (approximately 28.8 million Swiss francs) for unfair business practices. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) accuses the Alphabet subsidiary of using its market dominance to block the distribution of computer games on rival platform One Store in South Korea.
According to the FTC, between June 2016 and April 2018, Google made dubious deals with game manufacturers to allow them to sell their products exclusively on Google Play. In return, Google promised them certain marketing benefits. This has reduced the value of One Store as a platform. “Google has been able to further consolidate its dominance in the app market,” the FTC said in a statement Tuesday. One Store was founded in 2016 by three South Korean mobile operators and local portal Naver.
Google disagreed with the Commission. The company has not violated any competition laws. Once the FTC’s written decision is available, a decision will be made on how to proceed. (sda/awp/international)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
