The Mexican antitrust authority, the Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece), has concluded its long-standing investigation into Google without issuing any penalties, finding that the tech giant did not engage in monopolistic practices.
The probe, which began in 2020, focused on Google’s online advertising business specifically whether it abused its market position by requiring advertisers to use its third-party services in order to appear in Google Search results.
However, Cofece determined that Google did not compel advertisers to use its broader network of services, thereby ruling out abuse of dominance in the digital advertising sector.
A Google spokesperson welcomed the ruling, stating:
“We appreciate Cofece’s decision recognising that our products give advertisers the freedom and control to use our tools in the ways that best suit their needs.”
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The commission noted that, had Google been found guilty, it could have faced fines of up to 8% of its annual revenue in Mexico.
While the ruling marks a victory for Google in Mexico, the tech giant continues to face antitrust scrutiny globally. In the United States, Google has been found to hold an unlawful monopoly in the online search and advertising technology markets, with American authorities pushing for significant structural changes, including potential divestment of parts of its business.
Google’s operations in Latin America, which include Mexico, accounted for a notable portion of its $20.4 billion revenue for “Other Americas” in 2024.
