Indonesia's Antitrust Agency Fines Google $12.4 Million

Core Points - Google has been fined 202 billion rupiah (approximately $12.4 million) by Indonesia's antitrust agency for alleged unfair business practices [1] - The agency found that Google abused its dominant market position by threatening app developers with removal from the Google Play store if they did not use Google Pay Billing [1][2] - Google Pay Billing was reported to charge higher fees, up to 30%, compared to other payment systems [2] - The KPPU stated that Google holds a 93% market share in Indonesia, a country with a population of 270 million and a rapidly growing digital economy [3] Legal Challenges - Google is contesting a judge's ruling in the U.S. antitrust case brought by Epic Games, which could require changes to its Google Play app store [4] - Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Google and Apple in August 2020, alleging anti-competitive practices regarding rival app stores [5] - A jury ruled in December 2023 that Google violated antitrust laws by entering revenue-sharing agreements that hinder competition from rival app stores [5] Market Developments - In the U.K., Google proposed allowing developers to use third-party payment processors for in-app transactions following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority [6] - Spending across Apple's App Store and Google Play is projected to reach $127.3 billion in 2024, an increase from $110 billion the previous year [6]