Tinder-owner Match Group and Indian startups have asked the country’s competition body to investigate Alphabet’s Google for alleged non-compliance with an antitrust directive by charging a high service fee for in-app payments, filings show.
The filings by Match and Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) mark the latest tussle between Google and rival companies, which have repeatedly criticised the U.S. company for what they say are unfair business restrictions, a Reuters report said yesterday.
“Google’s policy change of a charging service fee even on transactions processed by third-party payment processors … has detrimental consequences for users and app developers,” the 15-page confidential March complaint by ADIF said.
Google, which declined to comment, has previously said the service fee supports investments in Google Play app store and the Android mobile operating system, ensuring it distributes it for free, and covers developer tools and analytic services, the Reuters report stated.
Details of the ADIF and Match filings, which were reviewed by Reuters on Thursday, have not previously been reported. ADIF, Match and the CCI did not respond to requests for comment.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) in October imposed a $113 million fine on Google and said it must allow the use of third-party billing and stop forcing developers to use its in-app payment system that charges commission of 15-30 percent.
Match in its March 21 filing asked the CCI to direct Google not to collect or impose any commission or service fee, including via user choice billing, saying the system was “anti-competitive”.
Google, which counts India as a major growth market, faces other regulatory challenges, including a setback that forced it to change how it markets its Android system.