Protecting competition

The Competition Commission of India's action will open up the Android space

The imposition of two fines within seven days on Google by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) indicates that the regulator is coming to grips with the nuances of monopolistic behaviour in the digital space. The first penalty, of Rs 1,338 crore, was for “abusing its dominant position in multiple categories related to the Android ecosystem”. The second penalty, for Rs 936 crore, was imposed for “abusing its dominant market position with respect to its Play Store policies”. Both orders are provisional. The fines are equivalent to proverbial slaps on the wrist, given its 2021 global revenue of $257 billion