Google fined £415,000 for making Google Maps free
French mapping company Bottin Cartographes sues Google for "abusing" its dominant market position
By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal | PC World | Published: 10:16, 03 February 2012
Google has been ordered to pay a fine and damages to a French mapping company after a court ruled that the search giant was guilty of unfair competition and "undercutting competitors" by making its Google Maps program free.
According to Agence France Presse (AFP), Bottin Cartographes, a French mapping company that provides essentially the same service as Google Maps for a fee - brought a suit claiming that Google was "abusing" its dominant position by making its service free.
Google's strategy is, apparently, to undercut competitors by "temporarily swallowing the full cost until it gains control of the market," AFP reported.
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A Paris-based commercial court agreed with Bottin Cartographes and ordered Google to pay 500,000 euro (£415,000) damages to Bottin Cartographes, as well as a fine of 15,000 euro (£12,500).
"We proved the illegality of Google's strategy to remove its competitors," said Jean-David Scemmama, Bottin Cartographes' lawyer. "The court recognised the unfair and abusive character of the methods used and allocated Bottin Cartographes all it claimed."
Google plans to appeal the court's decision.
"We remain convinced that a free high-quality mapping tool is beneficial for both Internet users and websites," a Google France spokesman said. "There remains competition in this sector for us, both in France and internationally."
This isn't the first time Google has gotten in trouble for its Maps tool - last year the search company got into some scuffles with a handful of European courts regarding the privacy, or lack thereof, of its Street View feature. Also, Lauren Rosenberg attempted to sue Google in 2010 because its Google Maps walking directions led her onto a highway where she was struck by a car. But this may just be the first time someone has sued Google for being free.
Comments
peterb6005 said: Sarah - you should stop inhaling so deeply Its doing your head in luv
Scriber said: As do US corporations with so called dumping claims that buy them up to 18 months of no competition or malicious copyright and patent claims by companies such as Apple or biotech companies that claim ownership genetic codes - the list goes on They are all just manifestations of greed in one form or another
Benge001 said: Couldnt believe this when I read it I use Google maps all the time when I am working and I paid for Google earth its a great service will not be happy with the French if they start chargingwhat is moresurprisingis that the fact any court would fall for this I really hope this doesnt open the flood gates for silly claims or may be we should start looking at the frenchgovernmentfunding of french car companys helping to keep there car prices down and giving them a market advantage
rocky john said: French mapping company Bottin Cartographes sues Google for abusing its dominant market position
Axe said: we luv u google
Saxdude42 said: This is so ridiculous I thought it was a parody until I realised it was Techworld and not the Daily Mash
Saxdude42 said: PedroRobert the law in France works like this - If the French dont like something they make change the rules in their favour And the real reason they did it was for the money and publicity obviously Google arent the only company that provides a free mapping service
jwiechers said: Not really the issue at hand is that Google is essentially killing off a market not because they found a way to do it for free but because they have the deep pockets to make a loss in this sector through success in other sectors That is generally frowned upon in most economies around the world and they could be sued in the US just as well -- and likely will be eventually -- because the issue at hand is antitrust legislation specifically attempting to monopolize a sector by utilizing predatory pricing
Jarl Christian Madsen said: Haters gonna hate
Blue Green Metal said: Reminds me how they were back in the mercantilism days and feudal society
Brian Garst said: Utterly moronic This really puts the lie to claim by advocates of protectionist policies who claim they are for the consumer They are not They are for shafting the consumer
berridgeab said: Welcome to technocratic socialist Europe where everyone can sue anyone for anything and win
Onmypalm said: This is non sense Then they should sue Nokia and MSNas well because they offer their mapping products for free
fred and ginger said: this just proves that france want to control everything If google wants to lets people use it maps for free let themI will only use google maps as they are in my opinion the best on the internet
Kungfu Joe said: Yet another reason to hate the french
Kungfu Joe said: erdid you actually read the article They WERE sued for Google maps being free Reason being that it causes loss of earnings to the competition The article nowhere mentions posting of inappropriate photos though there were privacy issues with the streetview app and there is nothing about no respect for an individual The only person mentioned as an individual was the woman who was stupid enough to ignore the small print that said one should be aware that there may not always be a pedestrian walkway and then walked in front of a bloody car Frankly she kind of deserved to get hit
Sarah Davis said: well thats a misleading headline if not a blatant lie Google havent been fined for making google maps free as you well know They were fined for having no respect of an individual and posting an inappropriate photo - why do you morons have to twist the truth
Bryancarvill said: If they pay the fine to have provided thisservice then retrospectively its not free and then retrospectively thereshould be no case to answer Hmm
Davey1000 said: It is the Google cars that have cameras on a ten foot pole that are the problem The cameras can easily see over two metre fences the highest that are allowed without Planning Permission The next thing you know neighbours and the toy-town council are saying that the only things allowed in your garden are flowers and grass Basically they are communistsAs to Bottins products I took a peek and I wasnt particularly impressed
garthbanks said: It should be free to the user Perhaps a compromise would be to incorporate the French mapping data for a small royalty if that data is used or to give free adverts The problem I have however is the quality of the French option