PARIS, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Google (GOOGL.O) said on Wednesday it was appealing against a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine imposed by France’s antitrust watchdog in July over a dispute with local media about paying for news content.
The fine came amid increasing international pressure on online platforms such as Google, part of Alphabet Inc, and Facebook (FB.O) to share more of the revenue they make from using media outlets’ news.
“We disagree with a number of legal elements, and believe that the fine is disproportionate to our efforts to reach an agreement and comply with the new law,” said Sebastien Missoffe, head of Google France.
“We continue to work hard to resolve this case and put deals in place. This includes expanding offers to 1,200 publishers, clarifying aspects of our contracts, and sharing more data as requested by the French Competition Authority.”
