Alphabet's Google is facing fresh allegations filed in the Competition Commission of India. The complaints accuse the American company of using its dominance over the market to unfairly promote its product called 'Google Pay', a payments app which allows inter-bank transfers. As per the allegations Google has been using its dominance in the technological sector to push its payments app ahead of a crowd of other apps. It is reported by media outlets like Reuters that Google's Android Playstore is showing Google Pay more prominently in comparison to others, as per the allegations. This accused act coupled with the fact that 90% of the smartphone users in India choose Android smartphones makes the allegations worth investigating. 

A Familiar Tale

Google has been part of the conversation about regulation across the globe for years now. It has earned a name for itself with the number of anti-trust cases filed against it. In India itself, Google has suffered three major anti-trust challenges, including this one. The last anti-trust challenge resulted in Google being made to pay a fine that amounted upto $21 million in 2018. In the United States of America, the Justice Department has been planning to file an anti-trust case against Google which would make it the largest case of its kind since 1990, when similar charges were filed against Microsoft. In an academic paper called 'Roadmap for a Digital Advertising Monopolization Case Against Google' co-authored by Fiona M. Scott Morton, mentioned the true magnitude of Google's dominance over the supply side platforms and demand side platforms. In one of the paragraphs it says:

"Google now performs every function that connects advertisers to publishers. Using the insurmountable data advantage it derives from its search engine and other properties as well as contract and design choices, Google has made it nearly impossible for publishers and advertisers to do business with each other except through Google."

Europe has always been ahead of its neighbour across the pond when it comes to regulation of tech giants. Last year in a successful challenge against Google,  the European Union fined 1.7 billion euros on it for anti-trust infringement in the online advertising market. Last year wasn't the first time the EU imposed such a huge fine on the company as Google has roughly 8.2 billion euros worth of fine due to pay. 

All Eyes On CCI

As the multifarious technological companies scramble to take control of the massive potential of the sub-continent's market, they would keep an eye over the developments of these allegations and how the CCI handles it. As of now, it is very clear that the advocates for regulation of big corporations are steadily growing in number.