The US multinational search giant Google shelled out an administrative fine worth 438 million rubles (about 7.67 million US dollars) to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of Russia, announced the FAS on Thursday.
Google paid off this fine on May 9, while it has to pay another one million ruble (about 17,500 US dollars) fine due to its failure to comply with the regulator’s instructions.

Google paid a 438-million-ruble fine on May 9. /AP Photo
An amicable settlement agreement was reached between Google and the FAS on April 17, 2017. With a term of six years and nine months, the company agreed to pay all the fines and give up the exclusivity of its applications on Android devices in Russia. Users will be able to set their preference as the default search engine via a “selected window” developed by Google.
Back in February 2015, Yandex, Russia’s largest search engine, accused Google of requiring Russian Android-device manufacturers to pre-install the full set of its applications or none at all on the devices, alleging that Google might have violated antitrust laws.

People walk outside the headquarters of Yandex company in Moscow, September 14, 2015. /CFP Photo
Then in September, the FAS established that Google had violated the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” by abusing its market dominance and announced a 430 million ruble (7.52 million US dollars) administrative fine on Google in August 2016.




