Google's Antitrust Quandary: Data Ecosystem Building

The judgement examined market definition and abusive practices in mobile application distribution agreements (MADAs), revenue sharing agreements (RSAs) and anti-fragmentation agreements (AFAs) by Google. The General Court largely upheld the Commission's decision, highlighting the interconnectedness of Google's anti-competitive restraints and categorised them as a single continuing infringement. The case provides a typical example of ‘competition for data’ between data ecosystems and has broader implications, even challenging Google's business model and discussing the burden of proof in exclusivity rebate cases.