The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Google Getty Images

Getty claim Google prioritises own image-search service over rivals

Author

By John Glenday, Reporter

June 23, 2015 | 2 min read

Photographic agency Getty Images has joined the EU’s anti-trust complaint against Google by alleging that the search giant favours its own image search results over rivals.

The European Commission is engaged in a war of words with Google over allegations relating to the manipulation of search results, including giving unfair priority to its own shopping service, local search, travel results and maps - warning of large fines if it fails to change its practices.

It comes as Getty, majority owned by the Carlyle Group, is seeking to distribute its collection more widely but has thus far struggled to drive traffic to gettyimages.com - despite possessing a collection of over 100m images.

Citing one example of underhand tactics Getty said that a search for ‘stock photos of coffee shop’ returned results and ads from Google Images above a link to photos of the subject matter held by Getty.

In a statement a Getty Images spokesperson said that they had ‘…created a captive environment that ensures that traffic on Google almost never diverts to the source sites of the images.”

Google denies any wrongdoing having seen off a similar investigation in the US after agreeing to voluntary changes to its practices.

Google Getty Images

More from Google

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +