Google Offers To Settle Indian Antitrust Case Related To Smart TV Probe: Report

This story was originally published on the Benzinga India portal.

Google GOOG GOOGL has reportedly put forth a settlement proposal in an anti-trust case in India. This move comes after an investigation found that the internet giant's contracts with smart TV manufacturers were likely in violation of the country's competition laws.

What Happened: Google would be the first corporation to use the settlement scheme inserted into India's competition law last year, Livemint reported, citing sources. 

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) recently took note of a report that found Google engaging in anti-competitive behavior. The settlement scheme provides a 15% reduction on the base penalty for companies found to be involved in anti-competitive activities.

The CCI launched an investigation in June 2021 after two individuals alleged that Google LLC and Google India had infringed competition law provisions.

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In a recent report to the anti-trust watchdog, the Director General of Investigation said its probe confirmed that Google had violated provisions prohibiting anti-competitive agreements and abuse of market dominance in the Android TV market, sources told the publication.

The new schemes added to the competition law allow companies suspected of violations to make voluntary commitments to address regulatory concerns before the investigation is completed. In cases where the investigation is already completed, companies may offer to settle the case and pay a reduced penalty.

The CCI scrutinized two agreements that Google had signed with smart TV manufacturers like Xiaomi Technology India. These agreements allegedly imposed restrictions on TV manufacturers, compelling them to preinstall the entire suite of Google apps if they wanted to preinstall a particular Google app, such as YouTube.

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Disclaimer: Artificial intelligence was used as a secondary aid in writing this story.