French antitrust agency probing Microsoft over Bing access


FILE PHOTO: Microsoft Corp's Bing search engine is seen on a computer in this illustration picture taken January 24, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) -France's antitrust agency is investigating Microsoft over concerns that it is degrading the quality of results when smaller rivals pay to use Bing technology in their own search-engine products.

"We are fully cooperating with the Autorite's investigation," a Microsoft spokesperson said, referring to the regulator's French name.

Bloomberg reported the investigation earlier on Monday. Microsoft, though not a major player in the general market, is a leader in the search-engine syndication sector.

The competition authority declined to comment.

The investigation could yield formal charges and a fine against the U.S. tech giant.

(Reporting by Makini Brice in Paris and Foo Yun Chee in BrusselsEditing by Tomasz Janowski)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

NXP Semiconductors forecasts upbeat quarter, signaling industrial market bottom
Waymo valued at $126 billion in latest financing as robotaxis gather steam
SpaceX acquires xAI in record-setting deal as Musk looks to unify AI and space ambitions
Exclusive-OpenAI is unsatisfied with some Nvidia chips and looking for alternatives, sources say
Palantir CEO defends surveillance tech as US government contracts boost sales
Popular open-source coding application targeted in Chinese-linked supply-chain attack
Disney shares slump as its theme parks see fewer international visitors
OpenAI launches Codex app to gain ground in AI coding race
Telia, Lyse to combine Norwegian mobile radio networks to save costs
'Moltbook' social media site for AI agents had big security hole, cyber firm Wiz says

Others Also Read