NCLAT Uphelds 2 More Directions Against Google Over Antitrust Case
In a significant development, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has reinstated two more directions against Google’s Play Store over its antitrust case with the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The NCLAT corrected its March 28 ruling, which had set aside these two directions. The new ruling emphasizes the importance of maintaining transparency in data collection and avoiding the leveraging of consumer data by Google.
The antitrust case against Google’s Play Store was initiated by the CCI in 2020. The CCI alleged that Google’s Play Store was violating various provisions of the Competition Act, 2002. The key issues in the case included Google’s alleged dominance in the Android app distribution market, its restrictive policies towards third-party app developers, and its abuse of its dominant position.
After conducting a thorough investigation, the CCI issued an order in November 2020, directing Google to modify its policies and practices. The CCI also ordered Google to maintain transparency in data collection and avoid leveraging consumer data. However, Google appealed against the CCI’s order, and the NCLAT set aside the two directions in its March 28 ruling.
NCLAT’s March 28 Ruling and its Corrected Ruling
The NCLAT’s March 28 ruling had set aside the CCI’s directions, which had required Google to maintain transparency in data collection and avoid leveraging consumer data. The NCLAT had held that these two directions were not justified and were ultra vires the Competition Act. However, the NCLAT’s March 28 ruling did not entirely dismiss the CCI’s findings. The NCLAT had also upheld some of the CCI’s findings, including Google’s dominance in the Android app distribution market and its restrictive policies towards third-party app developers.
The NCLAT’s latest ruling has corrected its March 28 ruling, reinstating the two directions that were set aside earlier. The NCLAT has held that Google must maintain transparency in data collection and avoid leveraging consumer data. The NCLAT has also emphasized the importance of these two measures in ensuring fair competition in the market.
Impact of NCLAT’s Ruling on Google’s Play Store
The NCLAT’s ruling has significant implications for Google’s Play Store. The ruling emphasizes the importance of transparency in data collection and avoids the leveraging of consumer data. This means that Google will have to modify its policies and practices to ensure that it is not collecting more data than necessary and that it is not using consumer data to its advantage.
The NCLAT’s ruling also has implications for third-party app developers. The ruling requires Google to maintain transparency in data collection and avoid leveraging consumer data, which means that Google will have to provide more information to app developers about how it collects and uses data. This will enable app developers to make more informed decisions about how they collect and use data.
Conclusion
The NCLAT’s latest ruling has reinstated two more directions against Google’s Play Store over its antitrust case with the CCI. The NCLAT has emphasized the importance of maintaining transparency in data collection and avoiding the leveraging of consumer data. The ruling has significant implications for Google’s Play Store and third-party app developers. The ruling requires Google to modify its policies and practices to ensure that it is not collecting more data than necessary and that it is not using consumer data to its advantage.
