French web site files a complaint against Google

FRENCH ONLINE shopping web site Twenga has filed a complaint against internet search giant Google accusing it of using its dominant position to obliterate competition.

According to Channel News Asia, Twenga announced on Tuesday that it had filed the complaint against Google on Monday. Apparently, Twenga had already warned that it would complain to the European Commission in November. The French web site allows users to search and compare prices on products.

Twenga said that Google is pushing its own services such as Google Shopping in search results while systematically putting competing web sites such as itself lower down.

Twenga co-founder Bastien Duclaux said, "The abusive practices of Google strengthened considerably in 2011 with a clear willingness to eliminate all forms of competition in several sectors such as video, hotel and product searches, and airfare searches, despite anti-trust probes in Europe and the United States.

"In this context, Twenga has asked the European Commission to quickly make the US giant stop its anti-competitive actions, which undermine innovation and jobs in the European Union."

Google did not comment on the case. µ