India launches anti-trust probe into Google

India is probing Google following a complaint from Bharatmatrimony.com
File picture of Muslim activists from The All India Minority Front at a protest rally against Google and Orkut websites in New Delhi in 2007. The Competition Commission of India said Monday it had launched an anti-trust probe into Google's online advertising practices, deepening the Internet giant's legal woes in the country.

The Competition Commission of India said Monday it had launched an anti-trust probe into Google's online advertising practices, deepening the Internet giant's legal woes in the country.

S.L. Bunker, the secretary of the commission, told AFP that the probe was in response to a complaint from online match-making website Bharatmatrimony.com.

"We are investigating Google," he said, adding that the website "has filed information which is being investigated to see if it can be verified."

In February the Economic Times reported that Bharatmatrimony.com had complained that Google had "abused its by engaging in discriminatory and retaliatory practices relating to AdWords".

"We have requested the Commission to investigate Google's practices and impose remedial measures to protect competition," a statement from the company said.

AdWords, Google's advertising mainstay, sells keywords to companies which appear in the site's search engine, allowing them to promote their product online. The giant pulled in $36.5 billion of ad revenue worldwide in 2011.

Sources at Bharatmatrimony.com told the Economic Times that the company had filed the complaint over Adwords' sale of keywords relating to Bharatmatrimony.com to its matchmaking such as Shaadi.com.

A spokesperson told AFP the company had "not received any communication" on the matter and declined further comment.

(c) 2012 AFP

Citation: India launches anti-trust probe into Google (2012, May 7) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2012-05-india-anti-trust-probe-google.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Google hit by new anti-trust complaint in Europe

0 shares

Feedback to editors