In July, the European Commission fined Google a record-breaking $5 billion for violating EU antitrust rules.

今年七月歐盟執委會對 Google 祭出 50 億高額罰款，因為 Google 違反了歐盟的反托拉斯規定，

It said Google had abused its power in the mobile phone market with Android devices.

以自家 Android 產品濫用其在手機市場上的影響力

It wasn't the first time Google faced an antitrust fine, and it might not be the last.

這不是 Google 首次被迫繳納反壟斷罰款，大概也不會是最後一次

Let's start by trying to understand what a monopoly is. The dictionary says it's:

首先我們來看看「壟斷」的定義，字典說：

"a company or group having exclusive control over a commodity or service."

一間公司或集團在某項商品或服務上具有獨斷的掌控力量

In other words, it's the only seller in a market.

換言之，壟斷者是特定市場中唯一的賣家

We've seen plenty of famous monopolies throughout history,

從古至今我們見過許多著名的壟斷者，

from Standard Oil in the 1890s to Microsoft in the 1980s.

從 1890 年代的標準石油到 1980 年代的微軟

There are a few common things that happen when there's a monopoly,

談到壟斷者，他們擁有一些共通點：

barriers to enter a market, a lack of competition, unfair advantages, control over prices and, often, regulation.

形成打入市場障礙、缺乏市場競爭、不公義的優勢、價格及管制方面的操縱

Here's what happened with Standard Oil Trust in the nineteenth century.

讓我們看看 19 世紀標準石油的壟斷案例：

Around 1880, the company controlled roughly 90% of U.S. oil production.

1880 年左右，標準石油掌控了 90% 的美國石油製造

It bought out smaller companies and had nearly total control over prices for consumers.

它買下規模較小的公司，幾乎能隨心所欲地操縱產品價格

This worried regulators.

這讓管制當局十分擔憂

By 1911 the Supreme Court decided Standard Oil had to be broken up in a landmark antitrust ruling.

1911 年最高法院做出指標性的反壟斷判決──拆解標準石油

So is Google a modern-day monopoly like Standard Oil?

那 Google 是不是像標準石油一樣，是今日的壟斷者呢？

The European Commission thinks so, at least in certain parts of its business.

歐盟執委會認為正是如此，至少就 Google 部分的營運範疇來說

Here's where Google got in trouble with its Android operating system.

以下就來了解 Android 系統哪裡出了問題

Android runs more than 80% of the world's mobile devices like smartphones today.

今天 Android 系統應用在超過八成的行動裝置，例如我們的智慧型手機

EU regulators said Google forced these device makers to pre-install Google apps like Search and Chrome,

歐盟官員表示 Google 強迫製造商預設安裝好 Google 應用程式，像是 Search 還有 Chrome，

making it more difficult for competing apps to gain traction.

導致其他競爭的應用程式難以獲取流量

The EU ordered Google to unbundle its apps from Android devices, which it recently agreed to do.

歐盟禁止 Google 應用程式與裝置的綑綁銷售，而 Google 最近也同意遵守

This wasn't the only time the EU hit Google for breaking antitrust rules.

這已經不是第一次歐盟因為反壟斷找上 Google

In 2017, regulators fined the company $2.7 billion for abusing its dominance in the search market.

2017 年 Google 被罰 27 億美元，原因是濫用其搜尋引擎市場的獨佔地位

Google's search engine has around 90% of market share in Europe.

Google 搜尋引擎佔有歐洲 90% 的市場份額

The European Commission said the company abused its dominance in the search market

歐盟執委會主張 Google 濫用其市場地位

by giving its comparison shopping service an illegal advantage over rivals.

賦予自家的比較購物服務非法的競爭優勢

Let's say I was looking for a new pair of headphones.

假設我想找一副新耳機，

Google's comparison shopping service listed a bunch of options at the top of the page.

Google 的比較購物服務會在頁面頂端列出一些選項

It was much more likely I'd click on those top results, generating revenue for Google

照理來說我會去點擊出現在前面的結果，為 Google 帶來營收

and not a rival comparison shopping service further down the page.

而不會去點開位於頁面下方，競爭對手的比較購物服務

Yelp, for example, has complained to the EU that Google unfairly promotes its own search results,

舉例來說，Yelp 就曾向歐盟抱怨 Google 偏頗地推廣自家搜尋結果，

making it less likely users will click on other listings and reviews.

減少使用者觀看其他廠商提供之商品選項或評論的機會

The risk is that Google is stifling innovation and competition.

風險在於 Google 的作法可能扼殺創新與市場競爭

One thing to note is that it's not illegal just to be a monopoly here in the EU.

值得留意的是，並非在歐盟管轄下壟斷才是非法的

It's when monopolies abuse their power at the expense of consumers that they can start to get in trouble.

當壟斷公司濫用市場力量、犧牲消費者，就會出現問題

Here's where it gets tricky with Google.

這點卻也是 Google 事件棘手的部分

It says it actually helps consumers by having a dominant position in the market.

Google 澄清其市場主導地位反而對消費者有利

CEO Sundar Pichai argues Android's operating system creates more choices for consumers at an affordable price.

CEO Sundar Pichai 主張 Android 系統以低廉價格為消費者創造出更多選擇

This where Google's monopoly is a little bit different than historical examples like Standard Oil.

這也是為什麼 Google 的壟斷地位與標準石油等前例有所不同

Unlike oil, the services that Google provides are mostly free.

不像石油，Google 提供的服務大多是免費的

It can be hard to see how Google's dominance is harming consumers

究竟 Google 的獨佔是否會傷害消費者仍舊難以定奪，

when many of us can't imagine life without Google Maps or Search, apps that are free.

有鑑於多數人根本無法想像沒有 Google 地圖、搜尋引擎等免費應用程式的生活

So far the European Union has taken a lead when it comes to regulating big tech.

在管控科技巨頭方面，目前歐盟處於領導地位

The full EU fines are still a small portion of Google's overall revenue.

歐盟的處分金額不過是 Google 總營收的一小部分

But if more regulators start trust-busting, the bills could add up.

然而當有更多管制者進行反托拉斯，處分金額恐怕會更可觀

Hey everyone, Elizabeth here. Thanks so much for watching our video.

大家好，我是 Elizabeth，謝謝觀賞

Let us know if you have any other ideas for CNBC Explains in the comment section.

歡迎在留言區寫下對 CNBC Explains 系列影片的任何想法

And check out all of other videos over here. Talk to you later!

這邊還有我們其他部影片，下回見！