23 job search firms wrote to the EU Tuesday, complaining about Google’s job listings service. They alleged that Google pursued anti-competitive practices (via Reuters).
Rivals Complain to EU About Google
The signatories to EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager included UK site Best Jobs Online and German sites Intermedia and JobIndex. Some claimed that the search giant used its dominance to attract users and did not have to go through traditional marketing investments like they did.
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The firms asked Ms. Vestager to temporarily stop Google behaving unfairly whilst she investigates. They could place formal complaints with Ms. Vestager if sufficient action is not taken. Indeed, two German firms reportedly already did so.
In a statement, senior product manager for Google search Nick Zakrasek said:
Any provider – from individual employers to job listing platforms – can utilize this feature in search, and many of them have seen a significant increase in the number of job applications they receive. By improving the search experience for jobs, we’re able to deliver more traffic to sites across the web and support a healthy job search ecosystem.
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