Entrance to Google’s UK offices in London.
Ollie Curtis | Future Publishing | via Getty Images
LONDON — The U.K. competition watchdog issued a statement on Friday opposing Google’s ad tech practices, which it tentatively believes are affecting competition in the U.K.
The Competition and Markets Authority claimed in a statement that the US online search giant “has used its dominant position in online display advertising to support its own advertising technology services, harming competition”.
The CMA said the “vast majority” of the UK’s thousands of publishers and advertisers use Google’s technology to bid for and sell advertising space.
The regulator added that it was also “concerned that Google is actively using its dominance in the field to prioritize its own services.” The tech giant’s so-called “self-preference” of services is a major concern for regulators scrutinizing the companies.
The CMA further stated that Google disadvantaged ad tech rivals and prevented them from competing on a “level playing field”.
Google did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
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