French Competition Watchdog Hits Google with 250 Mln Euro Fine 

The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 10, 2024. (Reuters)
The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 10, 2024. (Reuters)
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French Competition Watchdog Hits Google with 250 Mln Euro Fine 

The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 10, 2024. (Reuters)
The Google logo is seen on the Google house at CES 2024, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 10, 2024. (Reuters)

France's competition watchdog on Wednesday said it fined Google 250 million euros ($271.73 million) for breaches linked to EU intellectual property rules in its relationship with media publishers.

Google has pledged not to contest the facts as part of settlement proceedings, the watchdog said, adding the company also proposed a series of remedy measures to certain shortcomings.

The fine is linked to a copyright dispute in France over online content in a case triggered by complaints from some of France's biggest news organizations, including Agence France Presse (AFP).

The dispute seemed resolved in 2022 when the US tech giant dropped its appeal against an initial 500 million euro fine issued at the end of a major investigation carried out by the Autorite de la Concurrence.

In Wednesday's statement, the watchdog said Google violated the terms of four out of seven commitments agreed in the settlement agreement, including conducting negotiations with publishers in good faith and providing transparent information.

Google could not immediately be reached for comment.



Netanyahu, Musk Hold Talks after Congressional Address

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress, at the US Capitol in Washington, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress, at the US Capitol in Washington, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Netanyahu, Musk Hold Talks after Congressional Address

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress, at the US Capitol in Washington, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress, at the US Capitol in Washington, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington on Wednesday after his address to the US Congress.

"We discussed the opportunities and challenges in AI, its impact on the economy and society, and explored ways for technological cooperation with Israel," Netanyahu said in a post on X.