Google rivals line up seeking damages after record $1 billion fine

BRUSSELS, July 28 : A decades-long crackdown on Google's business practices in Europe is entering a costly new phase, as the loss of the first case brought against it under new EU legislation opens the door to a wave of private lawsuits demanding up to $10 billion in damages.Having already absorbed billions of dollars in EU fines since 2017, Alphabet's search giant is now facing lawsuits from smaller rivals across Europe, according to half a dozen lawyers and litigation financiers, and a tally of cases filed in half a dozen countries.That has been precipitated by a $1 billion fine, the first under the Digital Markets Act, imposed on the company for favouring its own services and preventing app developers from steering users to cheaper options outside its app store Google Play.That finding