Google Antitrust Fine: Foundem Founders Share Their €2bn Victory Over Big Tech
In a landmark Google antitrust fine case, Shivaun and Adam Raff, the founders of price comparison website Foundem, took on the tech giant and won. Their 15-year legal battle culminated in a €2.4bn (£2bn) fine for Google, imposed by the European Commission in 2017, marking a significant moment in the global regulation of Big Tech. Here’s the story of their challenging journey.
Launch Day Disappointment: Foundem’s Struggles Begin
Foundem launched in June 2006 as a trailblazing price comparison site, built by Shivaun and Adam from scratch. However, shortly after going live, Foundem was hit by Google’s automatic spam filters, which pushed it far down in search results. With Google dominating internet searches, the website’s visibility plummeted. Despite numerous appeals to Google, Foundem remained penalized, leading the founders to suspect foul play.
The Case Gains Traction with the European Commission
Unable to resolve their issues with Google directly, Shivaun and Adam turned to regulators in the UK, US, and eventually the European Commission (EC). In 2010, the EC launched an antitrust investigation into Google. The Raffs presented evidence that Google promoted its own shopping services while pushing down competitors like Foundem, which led to the unprecedented €2.4bn fine against Google in 2017.
Google’s Continued Contest and Foundem’s Persistence
Even after the European Court of Justice upheld the EC’s ruling in 2024, Google maintains that its practices changed after 2017 to comply with the commission’s guidelines. However, the Raffs argue that Google’s conduct remains anti-competitive, as they pursue a civil damages case set for 2026. Although they closed Foundem in 2016, they continue to fight, advocating for fair competition in the digital marketplace.
Shivaun reflects on their journey, saying, “We really don’t like bullies.” This case exemplifies the challenges and importance of holding dominant tech companies accountable.
External link: BBC
Internal link: Kenkou Land
