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Shaadi.com's CEO Anupam Mittal has made scathing remarks likening Google's business practices to the historical East India Company, drawing parallels to modern-day digital colonialism.
Mittal accused Google of imposing a substantial 'Google Tax' ranging from 20 to 50 per cent on startups, alleging this levy not only serves for distribution but also shields brands from competitors.
In an interview with CNBC, Mittal criticized Google's dominance, claiming it operates similarly to monopolists by initially advocating for the people and later leveraging its position against them. He highlighted Google's imposition of fees between 15% to 30% on app revenue downloaded from their Play Store, coupled with earning a reported 20 to 50 per cent from most digital companies in India through advertising.
Source: The Verge
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Mittal condemned Google's tactics, citing the manipulation of search results to display competitors' brands when users search for specific companies, compelling these entities to bid against their brands for visibility. The CEO expressed concerns regarding Google's latest initiative, the Google Play Billing System (GPB) or UCB (Users Choice Billing), deeming it a cosmetic change to sidestep legal scrutiny. Under this modification, apps downloaded from the Play Store may face additional charges ranging from 11 to 29 per cent of their revenue, based on services and categories used.
Source: India Times
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Mittal criticized Google's move as an attempt to force app developers to use their services, imposing fees disproportionately higher than the actual cost of services provided, thus creating an unfair advantage. He drew a historical parallel, likening Google's actions to the colonial exploitation witnessed during the East India Company era, emphasizing the need for regulatory intervention. Mittal highlighted the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) penalties on Google's app billing system, which he claims Google evaded by rebranding and continuing the same practices.
Amid ongoing legal battles, Mittal expressed concerns about the fate of smaller startups, stressing the urgency for governmental intervention. While acknowledging the government's attention to the matter, he raised apprehensions about the impact of Google's vast resources potentially delaying swift justice for affected entities.
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