This couple slapped a historic $2.6 billion fine on Google: Here’s the surprising reason
Shivaun and Adam Ruff, who run Foundem, an innovative price comparison site, saw their dream turn into a nightmare when they came face to face with the overwhelming power of Google. His journey, which began in 2006, immediately took an unexpected turn when his business was pushed to the bottom of search results by Google’s spam filter, putting his financial viability at risk.
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fierce struggle for survival
The launch of Foundem in June 2006 was to be a turning point for Shivann and Adam Raff. However, the initial excitement soon turned to disappointment. Their site, though innovative, fell victim to Google’s automated spam filters and was buried at the bottom of search results.
Without visibility, Foundem struggled to generate revenue, despite its clear potential. Adam remembers watching the site’s performance decline, which was a major blow to a project in which he had invested time and resources.
Google saw the pair’s website as competition and buried it. This caused a loss of $2.5 billion to the company https://t.co/LQBcUccuZ4 pic.twitter.com/Cr0Da0nqOf
– genbeta (@genbeta) 7 November 2024
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Legal battle begins
The setback marked the beginning of a 15-year legal battle. The couple sent several requests to Google in hopes of lifting the ban, but received no response. This situation prompted him to consider legal action.
They learned that they were not alone in their fight. Several other sites, such as Kelku and Trivago, shared the same hostility against Google. In 2017, the European Commission imposed a record fine on Google for abuse of dominant position, validating the couple’s claims.
Mistake or deliberate intention?
Questions were raised whether Google was acting in a deliberate anti-competitive manner. Initially, Adam had no reason to suspect such a strategy on Google’s part. Yet in late 2008, clues began to emerge.
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The sudden slow loading speed of their site, followed by public recognition as the best comparison site, aroused their suspicions. Raphs then realized that they had to join the fight for justice.
| 🔍Justice | Google condemned for abuse of dominant position |
| ⚔️fight | A 15-year battle against a tech giant |
| 💡Innovation | Founder, Price Comparison Leader |
a bitter victory
Despite the landslide legal victory, the Raffs could not celebrate. Falling victim to financial difficulties due to lack of traffic, his company, Foundem, eventually closed its doors in 2016.
Their fight against Google has been exhausting, but they are determined to see justice prevail. Shivaun and Adam are considering civil action for damages, hoping their fight will serve as an example for other small businesses facing digital giants.
As the European Commission continues to investigate Google’s practices, the question is: how can these giants be held accountable for their impact on innovation and free competition?
