ADIF files complaint with CCI against Google

Ensure it Operates on Equitable Competition:

♦ Digital advertising landscape critical for growth, sustainability of startup ecosystem

♦ Urges to ensure mkt operates on fairness, transparency, equitable competition

♦ Google imposes unfair conditions on advertisers in realm of online search advertising

New Delhi: The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) on Monday said it has filed a comprehensive complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), bringing to light Google's alleged anti-competitive practices in the online advertising sphere.

In the complaint, the ADIF outlined Google's dominant position and ‘purportedly abusive behaviour’ in both the online search advertising and online display advertising markets.

The apex body representing homegrown startups alleged that Google's control over major online platforms, coupled with the fact that it derives 97 per cent of its revenue from advertising, “has led to practices that stifle competition and adversely affect Indian businesses.”

Prateek Jain, Associate Director-Startup and Alliances, Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), said the digital advertising landscape is critical for the growth and sustainability of India's startup ecosystem.

“Our complaint to the CCI is a crucial step towards ensuring that this vital market operates on principles of fairness, transparency, and equitable competition. We believe that addressing these issues will not only benefit advertisers and publishers but will also foster innovation and create a more vibrant digital economy in India,” Jain added.

The complaint highlighted how Google imposes unfair conditions on advertisers in the realm of online search advertising, through its Ad Policies.

According to the ADIF, these included restrictions on call assets and prohibitions on third-party technical support. The foundation also raised concerns about the opacity of Google's ad ranking system, describing it as a "black-box approach" that leaves advertisers in the dark about the services they are paying for.

Furthermore, ADIF argued that Google's practices regarding trademark usage in keyword bidding create an artificial inflation of advertisement prices.