of BCC Report Explains that initially, Rafe thought it was a mistake that would be easily corrected. However, despite several attempts to remove the penalty, Google’s stance remained the same for two years, while other search engines ranked Foundem without any problems. In 2010, the couple filed their case with the European Commission, which launched an antitrust investigation and found Google guilty of prioritizing its own shopping service over competitors. This led to a 2017 decision, where Google was fined for market abuse.
Google also appealed the decision, ending seven additional years of legal proceedings. In 2024, the European Court of Justice rejected Google’s appeal and finalized the fine and upheld the European Commission’s decision. On this occasion, Shivaun said in a statement given to BBC, (translated) “We really don’t like bullies.”
Google has since claimed that the fine targeting practices ended in 2017 and claims that changes made then have led to billions of clicks to more than 800 comparison shopping services. Despite favorable results, Foundem could not withstand the losses and closed in 2016. Meanwhile, Raff is filing a civil damages claim against Google, which is scheduled for trial in 2026.
