3.5 billion.
This isn’t a fine. This is just a windfall for the EU. The price of doing business.
If they really wanted to hurt Google they’d demand a percentage of their quarterly profits. Say 10%. That would really make Google nervous.
googles net profit is 115 billion/year. So while 3.5 is inconvenient, I imagine google feels that its just the cost of doing business in the EU.
Sure you can be cynical about it, but you could also read beyond the headline
Beyond the monetary fine, the European Commission is ordering Google to restructure parts of its adtech business. Specifically, Google must:
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End self-preferencing practices — meaning it cannot give undue advantage to its own services.
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Address conflicts of interest within its advertising supply chain.
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Ensure fair competition by opening its ecosystem more effectively to rivals.
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Missing one or two zeros, but could be agood start if it is actually done
And that’s a big if. All these companies just appeal and get a fraction of the original penalty. Company death penalty needs to exist along with prison time for C-suite and board. Otherwise, this is just the price of doing business.