Google Agrees to Pay $8 Million to Settle Claims In opposition to Misleading Advertisements

Google, a unit of Alphabet, has agreed to pay $8 million (roughly Rs. 65 million) to settle claims it used misleading commercials to advertise the Pixel 4 smartphone, Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton introduced on Friday.

The search and promoting large, which additionally makes Android smartphone software program and owns YouTube, has been scrutinized for antitrust and shopper safety infractions by each the federal authorities and state attorneys common. The federal authorities has filed two antitrust lawsuits.

On this occasion, Paxton’s workplace alleged that Google employed radio announcers to provide testimonials concerning the Pixel 4 regardless that the corporate had refused to permit them to make use of one of many telephones.

“If Google is going to advertise in Texas, their statements better be true,” Paxton mentioned in an announcement. “In this case, the company made statements that were blatantly false, and our settlement holds Google accountable for lying to Texans for financial gain.”

Google mentioned in an announcement that it takes compliance with promoting legal guidelines critically. “We are pleased to resolve this issue,” mentioned spokesperson Jose Castaneda.

In the meantime, Google can also be dealing with points in India because the competitors watchdog has begun an inquiry into the corporate after some firms alleged the service payment the US agency expenses for in-app funds breaches an earlier antitrust directive, a regulatory order seen by Reuters confirmed on Friday.

Tinder-owner Match Group and Indian startups have requested the watchdog to analyze Google’s new Consumer Selection Billing (UCB) system, which they alleged was anti-competitive.

The Competitors Fee of India (CCI) on Friday issued an order stating “it is of the opinion that an inquiry needs to be made.”

© Thomson Reuters 2023