Poland Accuses Google of Abusing Market Dominance in Publisher Payments

Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has accused Google of abusing its dominant market position during negotiations with local publishers over content usage fees. The dispute centers on how Google presents articles and excerpts in its Search, News, and Discover services. UOKiK claims Google failed to provide publishers with adequate data, creating an information imbalance that hindered fair negotiations on payment terms.

Tomasz Chrostny, UOKiK President, stated that major tech firms cannot operate above the law. He argued that the lack of transparency made negotiations ineffective, allowing Google to dictate its own terms. The regulator's investigation targets Alphabet Inc, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited, and Google Poland, though none immediately responded to Reuters' requests for comment.

If found guilty, Google could face a fine of up to 10% of its turnover. The case stems from Poland's 2024 copyright law changes, which implemented an EU directive requiring online services to compensate publishers for content use. UOKiK emphasized that its probe is separate from the European Commission's ongoing investigation into Google's AI services, which was launched in December 2025.

The Polish regulator is conducting its inquiry independently, following an agreement with the European Commission. The investigation focuses solely on Google's Search, News, and Discover services, distinguishing it from the broader EU probe into AI-related content usage.