Consumer protection: EU Commission calls on Google for more transparency – Alphabet share in green | newsletter

Specifically, among other things, consumers are learning how search results rank appear and whether money plays a role, the panel announced Monday. The panel gives Google two months to report changes in practices.

Another requirement is that if the search engine displays prices for flights or hotels, they should already include additional fees and taxes that may already be calculated. Google must also ensure that the hotel reviews shown are reliable. Users should be provided with understandable information about the hotel and flight search business model.

Commissioner of Justice Didier Reynders stressed that consumers in the European Union should not be misled when planning their holiday with the help of search engines. To do this, they will have to have access to transparent and fair information.

In addition, it is cautioned that if consumer protection authorities report violations of the protection provisions, such content should be removed or deactivated by Google more quickly. The commission and consumer protection authorities also found that users of the Google Store currently do not have sufficient rights – because the terms of use allow the group to unilaterally cancel orders and correct pricing errors.

After the two-month period, national consumer protection authorities, with the support of the European Union Commission, must review Google’s response and any changes announced. If group commitments are categorized as insufficient, additional dialogue is required. “Ultimately, national authorities can impose sanctions,” the committee stressed.

“We welcome dialogue and are working closely with consumer protection authorities and the European Commission,” a Google spokesperson said in response to the demands. The goal is to jointly define how improvements can be made to users and how they can be presented more transparently.

On the Nasdaq, Alphabet shares rose 0.73 percent to $2,776.48 at times.

/ mjm / so / DP / eas

Brussels (dpa-AFX)

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