After a four-year investigation, Mexico's Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece) has closed its antitrust case against Google, determining that the tech giant did not engage in monopolistic practices in the country's digital advertising market. This decision, announced on June 14, 2025, marks a significant victory for Google, averting potential fines that could have amounted to 8% of its annual revenue in Mexico.
The investigation, which began in 2020, scrutinized Google's digital advertising services, focusing on its search page and third-party websites. Cofece examined whether Google had an unfair advantage over competitors due to the design of its platform for buying online advertising. The core question was whether Google required users to purchase advertising on third-party websites to advertise on its search engine. Ultimately, Cofece concluded that this was not the case, leading to the dismissal of the case.
A Google spokesperson expressed appreciation for COFECE's decision, stating that it recognizes the freedom and control Google's products provide to advertisers, enabling them to use the tools in ways that best suit their needs.
While Alphabet, Google's parent company, does not disclose specific revenue figures for Mexico, its 2024 results show that the "other Americas" region, which includes Latin America, generated approximately $20.4 billion. Had Cofece found Google guilty of monopolistic practices, the fine could have exceeded $100 million based on this revenue figure.
Despite this victory in Mexico, Google continues to face antitrust scrutiny in other parts of the world. Regulators globally are concerned about the advantages Google's search engine provides and its potential impact on competition. In the United States, for instance, a federal district judge ruled last year that Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search and related advertising. The U.S. Justice Department and a coalition of states are seeking remedies, including the disclosure of search data and the cessation of multibillion-dollar payments to Apple and other device manufacturers to remain the default search engine.
Moreover, in a separate case, a U.S. federal judge asserted that Google illegally monopolized two sectors of online advertising technology, prompting the Justice Department to advocate for the sale of Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's ad server and ad exchange. The DOJ has also suggested Google may have to sell off its web browser Google Chrome or its mobile operating system Android to remedy its monopoly of the industry.
Google's dominance in the search engine market is undeniable. As of May 2025, Google holds approximately 89.5% of the search engine market share in Mexico, with Bing trailing at 8.06% and Yahoo! at 1.84%. These figures underscore Google's significant influence in the digital landscape, making it a prime target for antitrust investigations.
The closure of the Mexico antitrust case is a welcome reprieve for Google amidst ongoing regulatory challenges. However, the company must remain vigilant and adapt its business practices to address concerns about competition and market dominance in various jurisdictions. The global regulatory landscape is evolving, and tech giants like Google will continue to face scrutiny as authorities seek to ensure fair competition and protect consumer interests.
