According to Reuters, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has launched an investigation into Google, because several companies have accused Google of not complying with the CCI’s previous directives. In October 2022, CCI imposed a fine of US$113 million on Google on the grounds that Google does not allow developers to use third-party payment platforms to process in-app purchases.
Several companies, including Match Group, which owns dating apps like Tinder, have asked the CCI to investigate Google’s new User Choice Billing (UCB) system. Google launched the UCB pilot project after the European Union and India felt that its Play Store Billing System (GPBS) was unfair to customers and developers. But companies using UCB say Google still charges them commissions ranging from 11 percent to 26 percent, in violation of a directive that “prohibits it from imposing any unfair and disproportionate conditions.”
Google has previously argued that the fees it charges developers for its services are used to maintain the Play Store and provide developer tools and analytics. The Competition Commission of India has given Google four weeks to respond to the allegations and “explain changes in certain provisions related to the in-app payment system before and after UCB and provide details of policies related to user and app developer data sharing.” .”
