The EU is asking for more concessions from Google, over concerns its Fitbit deal will give it an unfair advantage over competitors.
Google agreed to purchase Fitbit for $2.1 billion and almost immediately drew scrutiny from regulatory authorities on both sides of the Atlantic. As a result, the company promised not to use any Fitbit data for its advertising in an effort to assuage concerns.
It appears those efforts were not enough, as the EU is demanding additional concessions. According to Ars Technica, EU officials are demanding that Google not use any Fitbit data to “further enhance its search advantage.” In addition, they want Google to give third parties equal access to the data.
It’s unclear if Google will agree to the terms, but it may ultimately have no choice if it wants the deal to proceed. Given the company’s history, it seems the authorities don’t want to open the door to Google gaining even more of an advantage than it already has.