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EU Launches New Antitrust Probe into Google's News Bias

  //media-entertainment.news-articles.net/content/ .. new-antitrust-probe-into-google-s-news-bias.html
  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, November 13th 2025 at 8:02 GMT by The Independent

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Google, Trump, and the EU’s Antitrust Pursuit in Brussels: What’s Really at Stake

The European Commission has once again turned its sights on the world’s most‑visited search engine, this time with a fresh probe into alleged anti‑competitive bias that could even affect how former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in search results. The story, published in The Independent on 15 May 2024, follows a series of developments that bring together the Commission’s longstanding scrutiny of Google, Trump’s vocal claims of “bias”, and the broader European push for greater transparency and fairness in digital markets.

The European Commission’s New Case: “Search Bias” and “News Favoritism”

The article opens with the Commission’s announcement that it will launch a second antitrust investigation into Google, focusing specifically on how the company ranks and displays news content. While the first EU case against Google in 2022‑2023 ultimately led to a record €2.42 billion fine for prioritising its own shopping services in search results, the new case addresses whether Google similarly favours its own “Google News” aggregation and other in‑house services when users search for news items.

The Commission’s complaint rests on a series of complaints filed by rival publishers, who argue that Google’s algorithm gives preferential placement to news stories sourced from Google’s own database. The article explains that, if successful, this could force Google to alter the way it delivers news headlines and to provide “transparent insight into the algorithmic decision‑making process”.

Trump’s Anti‑Bias Claims and the EU’s Response

Donald Trump has long been a vocal critic of Google, accusing the company of suppressing his content and of a deliberate “bias” against him. The article highlights a recent interview in which Trump told the New York Post that the European Commission was “unfairly targeting” Google because the firm has been “suppressed by the US government” in his own country. Trump also warned that the EU’s decision could “harm free speech” and “limit access to information.”

While Trump’s claims have been widely dismissed by fact‑checkers, the European Commission’s investigation gives the former president a platform to raise concerns about “algorithmic transparency” and “free expression”. The Commission’s press officer, speaking to The Independent, stressed that its aim is not to target any single political figure but to ensure that all news providers are treated equally under EU competition law.

“Transparency and Fairness Initiative”: Google’s Response

The article reports that Google has responded by announcing a new “Transparency and Fairness Initiative” (TFI). Through the TFI, Google will publish periodic “search quality reports” that describe changes in how search results are ranked, including for news stories. The company also says it will offer “search transparency data” to the European Commission in a structured format, allowing regulators to verify whether Google’s own services are indeed being favoured.

However, Google insists that the changes are driven purely by “technical improvements” and that the company remains committed to “user choice”. The article quotes Google’s chief compliance officer, who stated that the company “cannot afford to be perceived as manipulating search results” and that the TFI is a voluntary step toward greater accountability.

Legal Context: The Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act

The piece places the new investigation within the broader context of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA), two landmark legislations that came into force in 2023. The DMA targets “gatekeeper” companies such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, imposing obligations on them to prevent “unfair competition” and to provide fair access to their platforms. The DSA focuses more broadly on platform liability and user safety.

Because the new case could lead to a fresh fine – potentially in the billions – the Commission’s action is seen as a direct test of Google’s compliance with these laws. The article also notes that the European Court of Justice has already ruled that Google’s “self‑promotion” tactics violated the DMA in a separate case, which may inform the Commission’s strategy.

Brussels: A Strategic Hub for Digital Regulation

The article underscores that the Commission’s headquarters in Brussels are now a hotbed for tech regulation. In addition to the Google case, Brussels hosts a series of meetings between regulators and other tech giants, as well as with political stakeholders such as the European Parliament’s Committee on Digital Affairs. The Commission is expected to present its findings in a public hearing scheduled for early June, where Google will be granted a chance to defend its practices.

The piece also mentions that the European Commission has been pushing for “algorithmic accountability” across all sectors, citing earlier cases such as the Apple‑iTunes settlement and the Facebook‑Cambridge Analytica scandal. These precedents demonstrate the Commission’s willingness to use its antitrust powers to shape the digital ecosystem.

What Could Be at Stake?

If the Commission’s allegations are upheld, Google could face a new fine that would potentially dwarf the €2.42 billion penalty already levied for the Android case. The article quotes legal experts who warn that the fine could reach up to €5 billion, depending on the severity of the alleged bias. Beyond the financial penalty, Google would be forced to overhaul its ranking algorithms, provide detailed documentation of its processes to regulators, and possibly relinquish certain privileged data about how its own services are promoted.

From a broader perspective, the outcome will have ripple effects across the European digital landscape. Smaller news outlets could gain better visibility, while tech giants might face tighter constraints on how they can promote their own services. Meanwhile, political actors such as Trump may see the case as an opportunity to rally support around issues of “free speech” and “algorithmic bias”.

The Bottom Line

The Independent’s coverage paints a complex picture: a powerful tech company being scrutinised by a regulatory body that is increasingly focused on algorithmic fairness, a former U.S. President asserting a bias that could be used to rally his base, and a European Commission that is sharpening its tools to enforce competition law in the digital age. Whether Google will change its practices or simply argue its case in court remains to be seen, but the Brussels hearings will be a critical moment for the future of search, news, and digital competition in Europe.