Poland’s competition authority, UOKIK, has charged four Google entities with abusing their dominant market position by withholding data from publishers regarding content remuneration. The investigation alleges non-compliance with EU Directive 2019/790, which governs copyright and related rights in the digital single market.
This regulatory action highlights the increasing friction between global tech platforms and regional content creators over the value of digital distribution. By focusing on information asymmetry, Polish regulators are challenging the opaque algorithms used to determine publisher payouts, which could force a shift toward more transparent revenue-sharing models across the EU. For the streaming and digital media ecosystem, this case reinforces the legal weight of Directive 2019/790 in balancing power between aggregators and original content owners. Watch for whether UOKIK imposes the maximum 10 percent fine, which would set a high-stakes precedent for ongoing negotiations in other European territories.
Poland’s competition authority, UOKIK, has charged four Alphabet entities with abusing their dominant market position. Regulators allege Google withheld essential revenue and usage data during negotiations with Polish publishers. This case is significant as it challenges opaque payout algorithms and tests the enforcement of EU copyright directives regarding fair digital compensation.
The UOKIK alleges that Google abused its dominant market position by withholding critical revenue and usage data from Polish press publishers during remuneration negotiations.
The investigation focuses on content usage across Google Search, Google News, and Google Discover services.
Under Polish competition law, Google faces potential fines of up to 10 percent of its annual turnover if found guilty of the charges.
The investigation is being led by UOKIK President Tomasz Chróstny.
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