EU brings third charge against Google's ad tactics

In continuation of an ongoing saga, the EU has brought yet another antitrust charge against Google. The most recent accusation, comes as the third in the last few years and concerns the tech firm's advertising tactics, which, according to the EU were far too dominant for the markets.

According to commentators, Google was accustomed to such charges  - in the first set of charges, the EU claimed, Google manipulated search results in the interest of its own products, while the second claimed that Google twisted the arms of Android manufacturers to make Google the default search engine and install its app.

But the EU versus Google fight continues, even as the latest set of charges would be expected to be filed by August.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the EU's complaint appears to be mainly about the degree to which Google ''prevents or obstructs website operators from placing ads on their websites that compete'' with the company's own advertising practices.

Further the issue was whether or not Google actually prevented other advertisers who used its auction-based advertising platform from migrating to other search advertising services.

This was not the first time Google had got into trouble for advertising and in the US, the Federal Trade Commission ended its own investigation after the tech giant agreed to remove similar barriers to cross-platform campaigns.

Meanwhile, the commission had asked Google rivals to share information related to search advertising with the tech giant, a step suggesting the EU competition enforcer could be making preparations for bringing fresh a charge against Google, Reuters reported citing sources.

According to commentators, such a step usually preceded the Commission issuing charges.

The Commission had been monitoring the firm's AdWords and AdSense services since 2010, after rivals complained about unfair advertising exclusivity clauses and undue restrictions on advertisers.