Google is facing a €295m (approx. $421,800.000) damages claim in France from one of the companies which initiated the current European anti-trust investigation into its dominance in the search, news and mapping sectors.
1plusV, which operates search serviceEjustice.fr, aimed at the legal profession, claims that Google blocked its sites from results. It claims that between 2007 and 2010, 30 ‘vertical’ (specialist) search sites developed by the French firm had been “black-listed.”
Reutersreports that Google was served notice of the claim on Monday and that it will be filed with the Paris commercial court today or tomorrow.
This legal action joins not only the European anti-trust investigation but also the US Federal Trade Commission’s own investigation which waslaunchedlast week. Details of the FTC probe are still sparse, with Googleadmittingon Friday that it wasn’t yet aware of exactly what the government organisation wanted to investigate.
Calling all Scaleup founders! Join the Soonicorn Summit on November 28 in Amsterdam.
Meet with the leaders of Picnic, Miro, Carbon Equity and more during this exclusive event dedicated to Scaleup Founders!
The European probe,launchedlate last year began by looking at alleged abuses of search market dominance but was laterextendedto cover Google News and Google Maps. 1plusV filedadditional complaintsagainst Google to the European Commission in February this year.
Story byMartin SFP Bryant
Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletter PreSeed Now and technology and media consultancy Big Revolution. He was previously(show all)Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletterPreSeed Nowand technology and media consultancyBig Revolution. He was previously Editor-in-Chief at TNW.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.
