Google has been fined €2 million ($2.2 million) by French authorities for inadequate search engine and app store results.
The Competition, Consumer and Anti-Fraud Office in France stated that Google’s search engine failed to provide sufficient information regarding the criteria used to rank search results.
Specifically, the watchdog highlighted the lack of explanations for pricing in search results related to tourism accommodation.
In addition, the office found that the Google Play Store lacked transparency in terms of ranking criteria, payment information, and procedures for resolving disputes. Furthermore, the store did not provide users with reasons for not publishing their app reviews.
Although Google has made some improvements to address the identified issues, the anti-fraud office noted that only a portion of the shortcomings had been rectified.
A spokesperson for Google expressed regret that the agency did not take into account the implemented changes.
The company emphasized its commitment to transparency and expressed willingness to collaborate constructively with French and European regulators.
