The European Union is once again targeting Google:
The European Union is once again targeting Google:
The EU in Brussels is investigating whether the US company has unlawfully used content from the Internet to train its AI systems.
The EU Commission has therefore initiated formal competition proceedings.
The EU Commission has therefore initiated formal competition proceedings.
The focus is on the accusation that Google uses texts, images and videos from third-party providers without adequately remunerating them - and at the same time puts publishers and rights holders under pressure. The Commission is investigating whether Google's conditions for media companies, authors and other content providers are abusive while at the same time disadvantaging competing AI developers.
Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera said that an open society needs independent media, free access to information and a functioning creative sector. Innovation through AI is important, but must not come at the expense of fundamental principles such as fairness, transparency and competition.
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Focus of EU investigations
- Google is increasingly integrating AI-generated answers ("AI Overviews" / "AI Search Results") into classic searches.
- Critics accuse the company of saying that these answers are partly based on protected content for which Google pays neither license fees nor compensation.
- YouTube is also in focus:
- Creators must allow Google to use their videos for internal purposes – including AI training.
- However, there is no payment.
- At the same time, YouTube prohibits other AI providers from using training material from the platform – which gives Google a competitive advantage.
Brussels now wants to clarify whether these practices constitute an exploitation of market power. A formal procedure does not yet mean proof of guilt, but it opens up the possibility of severe penalties. Several other EU proceedings against Google are already underway, including for possible discrimination against media companies.
How long the investigation will take is currently open.
Author: MF editorial team
Sources: REUTERS, NIUS.de
Author: MF editorial team
Sources: REUTERS, NIUS.de
