Group 1 - Google is facing potential EU antitrust scrutiny over concerns that it may be unfairly increasing online advertising prices, as indicated in a letter to advertisers [1][2] - The European Commission is particularly focused on Google's auction practices for advertising on Google Search, alleging that the company is artificially raising auction clearing prices to the detriment of advertisers [2][4] - Google maintains that its search ads support small businesses and that ad prices are determined through a real-time auction process that considers factors like competition and ad quality [3] Group 2 - The U.S. Justice Department has accused Google of manipulating online auctions to benefit its own financial interests, which could escalate tensions between the U.S. government and EU regulators [4] - The European Commission is prepared to investigate anti-competitive practices across all sectors if concrete evidence is found, and recipients of the letter have until March 2 to provide feedback [4]

European Commission Google, the target for billions of euros in European Union antitrust fines, has been hit by a fresh EU probe over concerns it’s illegally rigging the cost of advertising on its search engine. The European Commission suspects the Alphabet Inc. unit is “artificially increasing the clearing price” of ad auctions “to the detriment of advertisers,” according to a copy of a Feb. 9 letter to potentially affected businesses, seen by Bloomberg. Most Read from Bloomberg The Brussels-based re ...