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Microsoft likely to avoid French antitrust probe as regulator set to dismiss Qwant complaint

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Microsoft appears poised to escape a French antitrust investigation into its search operations after the French search engine Qwant said regulators plan to dismiss its complaint. The company said it may appeal the decision in court or bring the case before other authorities.

Qwant, which has long used Microsoft’s Bing platform to power its search and news results, filed a grievance earlier this year alleging that Microsoft imposed exclusivity clauses and unfair conditions that restricted Qwant’s ability to develop its own search engine and advertising services. It also accused Microsoft of favoring its own products in search advertising allocation.

The French Competition Authority is expected to formally announce its decision within two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. During a closed-door hearing in June, investigators reportedly recommended rejecting Qwant’s request for an injunction and broader investigation.

In response, Qwant CEO Olivier Abecassis said the company would “pursue all available legal avenues” to defend its business, accusing Microsoft of “egregious abuse” of market power.

Microsoft, for its part, dismissed the allegations, noting that the complaint “lacks merit” and that the search market is “dominated by Google.” Microsoft is a key provider of syndicated search results for smaller European rivals, including Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, and Lilo, which rely on its technology to compete.

Independent Turkish News Websites Threatened by Google’s Algorithm Changes

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Several independent media outlets in Turkey are facing potential closure due to significant changes made to Google’s algorithms, which have drastically reduced the reader traffic to their websites. According to a joint statement from the affected outlets, since the end of January 2025, Google’s updates have largely eliminated the traffic that was previously directed to them through Google’s “Discover” and “News” tools. This decline in traffic has severely impacted their financial sustainability.

Independent news outlets such as T24, Medyascope, Diken, and Birgun have expressed concern that these changes not only harm their businesses but also limit the public’s access to news. The outlets have announced plans to take legal action in response, aiming to protect their corporate rights, the work of their employees, and the support of their readership, which they claim has been unfairly affected by the changes. They are also seeking legal recourse from both local and international legal bodies, including Turkey’s Competition Authority.

A spokesperson from Google responded, stating that the recent algorithm changes were not targeted at individual websites. Instead, the adjustments were made to improve the overall search experience. “We don’t and would never manipulate search results, modify our products, or enforce our policies to promote or disadvantage any particular viewpoint,” the spokesperson said.

Turkey ranks 158th out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The group noted that with 90% of Turkey’s media under government influence, the public has increasingly relied on independent news sources for accurate and critical information. However, these outlets are heavily dependent on Google revenues, as private companies are often reluctant to advertise on independent media websites.

Amidst these challenges, Gazete Duvar, another independent news outlet, announced its closure on Wednesday, attributing the decision to revenue losses caused by the changes in Google’s algorithms, compounded by the economic pressures of inflation.