POLAND’S Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has formally announced an antitrust probe into Alphabet’s Google, accusing the company of abusing its dominant market position and intentionally withholding key data during content licensing talks with Polish news publishers. If the allegations are proven, Google could face a fine of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
The case centres on a 2024 Polish copyright law amendment, designed to implement EU directives by requiring technology platforms to provide publishers with fair remuneration for displaying media snippets across Google Search, Google News and Google Discover. UOKiK’s president, Tomasz Chrostny, stated the law specifies the crucial data Google must share to enable accurate compensation calculations, which the company allegedly has concealed, undermining bilateral negotiations.
The investigation places Poland within a broader EU regulatory effort. It aligns with the European Commission’s separate inquiry opened in December 2025 into Google’s AI features, including “AI Overview” and “AI Mode,” questioning whether the firm extracts and uses publishers’ articles without fair remuneration. The article notes that authorities in Australia, Canada and across Europe are pursuing similar conclusions, potentially pushing for greater data transparency and payment to publishers.
The Polish action emphasises the potential disruption to Google’s business model if forced to disclose algorithmic data and to share revenue with media, in a climate where regulators increasingly demand proportional compensation for journalistic content used in search and AI contexts.