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Polish regulator suspects Google abused dominant position in publisher payment talks - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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Polish regulator suspects Google abused dominant position in publisher payment talks

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on October 5, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: October 5, 2026

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Polish Regulator Investigates Google for Abusing Dominant Position in Publisher Talks

Overview of the Investigation and Key Developments

Background and Allegations

GDANSK, Poland, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Poland's antitrust watchdog said on Monday it suspected Alphabet's Google of abusing its dominant market position while negotiating content payments with domestic media publishers.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, known by its Polish abbreviation UOKiK, said the charges relate to how Google negotiates remuneration for displaying articles and snippets in its search results, Google News and Discover services.

The companies named in the statement are Alphabet Inc, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Google Poland, none of which immediately responded to a Reuters request for comment.

Information Imbalance in Negotiations

UOKiK alleges Google failed to provide publishers with the necessary data to properly assess offers, leading to an information imbalance that prevented fair negotiations on payment for content.

"Big tech companies cannot place themselves above the law," UOKiK President Tomasz Chrostny said in the statement, adding the lack of data led to negotiations becoming illusory and tending towards Google imposing terms.

Legal Context and Regulatory Actions

Polish Copyright Law and EU Directive

The dispute stems from a 2024 Polish copyright law amendment that implemented an EU directive under which online services may use press publishers' content in return for remuneration.

Potential Penalties

The maximum fine for abusing a dominant market position may amount to 10% of a company's turnover, the regulator said.

Relation to European Commission Probe

It added the investigation was separate from the European Commission probe opened in December 2025 into whether Google used publishers' content in its AI services without adequate compensation or giving them the ability to object.

The Polish probe, which focuses on Google Search, Google News and Discover services, is being carried out independently following an agreement with the Commission, UOKiK said.

Related Legal Actions

Allegro's Lawsuit Against Alphabet

In December 2024, Polish e-commerce group Allegro's price comparison platform Ceneo sued Alphabet for 2.33 billion zlotys ($568 million) in damages for alleged anti-competitive behaviour.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Marta Maciag and Rafal Nowak, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

Key Takeaways

  • UOKiK has opened antitrust proceedings against Alphabet, Google LLC, Google Ireland and Google Poland for alleged dominance abuse in negotiations with Polish media publishers over payments for article use in Google Search, News and Discover (money.pl).
  • The regulator accuses Google of creating information asymmetry—by selectively sharing data—making it impossible for publishers to assess or dispute proposed compensation fairly (money.pl).
  • Under Polish and EU law, violating dominant‑position rules can incur fines up to 10% of turnover; this probe is independent of a parallel EU Commission investigation into Google’s use of publisher content in AI services (uokik.gov.pl).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Poland's antitrust watchdog investigating Google for?
The Polish regulator UOKiK suspects Google of abusing its dominant position during negotiations with media publishers over payments for displaying their content.
Which Google services are under scrutiny in the Polish investigation?
Google Search, Google News, and Google Discover services are the focus of the investigation.
What law prompted the dispute between Google and Polish publishers?
A 2024 amendment to Polish copyright law, implementing an EU directive, requires online services to compensate press publishers for their content.
What is the maximum penalty Google could face if found guilty?
The maximum fine may amount to 10% of a company's turnover.
Is the Polish investigation related to the European Commission's probe?
The Polish probe is being carried out independently of the European Commission's investigation, following an agreement between authorities.

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