Australia says Google's US$2.1b Fitbit deal could harm competition

Fitbit Blaze watch is seen in front of a displayed Google logo in this illustration picture taken, November 8, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Files

SYDNEY/BENGALURU: Australia's antitrust regulator warned Google's planned $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness tracker maker Fitbit may give it too much of people's data, potentially hurting competition in health and online advertising markets.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the first regulator to voice concerns about the deal, which come at a time when the Alphabet Inc-owned tech giant is at loggerheads with the Australian government over planned new rules about how internet companies use personal information.