Some of Google’s fiercest corporate critics in the US have written to Europe’s antitrust chief backing what is expected to be a record fine against the internet search company, and rejecting claims that the case has been fuelled by anti-American bias.
“As US companies, we wish to go on record that enforcement action against Google is necessary and appropriate, not provincial,” the seven signatories, including News Corp, Oracle and Yelp, wrote.
The attempt to dispel claims of European protectionism came ahead of the expected announcement on Tuesday of a fine topping €1bn against the US search company over an eight-year-old probe involving online shopping.