The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) for abusing its dominance in the digital advertising technology market and favoring its adtech services over those of its competitors.

Google was also ordered by the EU’s top antitrust regulator to stop anti-competitive and “self-preferencing” practices and take measures to mitigate future conflicts of interest in the adtech market.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, told BleepingComputer that the antitrust regulator’s decision was wrong and that the company will appeal it.

“The European Commission’s decision about our ad tech services is wrong and we will appeal. It imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to make money,” Mulholland said.

“There’s nothing anticompetitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever before.”

This follows the Commission’s notification to Google in June 2023 of a preliminary finding that its abusive practices in online advertising…