PARIS, FRANCE — French authorities imposed a two-million-euro (US$2.2-million) fine on Google on Tuesday over incomplete results in its search engine and app store.
The Competition, Consumer and Anti-Fraud Office said the US tech giant’s search engine lacked information concerning the ranking criteria of results.
The watchdog said results for searches on tourism accommodation lacked explanations for the prices.
The Google Play Store, it added, also lacked information on the ranking criteria of results, payment information and dispute resolution procedures.
The store also did not give consumers reasons for not publishing their reviews of apps in the store.
The anti-fraud office said Google has since “corrected part of the sanctioned shortcoming”.
A Google spokesman said the company regretted that the changes had not been taken into account by the agency.
“We have always been transparent with our users about how our products work,” the spokesman said, adding that it was open to working “constructively” with French and European regulators.
— AFP
