Poland’s competition watchdog, UOKiK, has accused Alphabet’s Google of abusing its dominant market position during negotiations with local media publishers over content remuneration. The charges center on how Google has been determining and negotiating payments for the use of news articles and summaries displayed across its Search, Google News, and Discover platforms.
Market Dominance Under Scrutiny
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) stated that Google failed to provide media publishers with the necessary data for a fair assessment of offers. This alleged information asymmetry has, according to the UOKiK, hindered fair negotiations for content payments.
Tomasz Chrostny, President of UOKiK, emphasized in a statement that “Big Tech giants cannot be above the law.” He further elaborated that the lack of core data effectively rendered negotiations meaningless, leading to a situation where Google unilaterally imposed commercial terms.
The entities named in the proceedings include Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited, and Google Poland.
Google’s Defense and Publisher Agreements
A Google Poland spokesperson indicated that the company is currently reviewing the UOKiK’s statement. The tech giant highlighted its existing relationships with over 70 Polish news outlets, noting that it is “the only platform that pays news publishers on a large scale through a systematic solution.”
This dispute stems from a 2024 amendment to Polish copyright law. This amendment transposed an EU directive requiring online platforms to pay for the use of news publisher content. The UOKiK warned that companies found guilty of abusing a dominant market position could face fines of up to 10% of their annual turnover.
Independent Investigations
UOKiK clarified that its investigation is separate from an antitrust probe initiated by the European Commission in December 2025. The EU’s investigation focuses on Google’s alleged use of content for artificial intelligence services without adequate compensation or granting publishers the right to opt-out.
Following consensus with the European Commission, the Polish regulatory body will proceed with its independent investigation into Google’s core services, including Search, Google News, and Discover.
