Google faces accusations of using its dominant position in the market to hinder users’ ability to find alternative email services, according to claims made by Tuta Mail.
Tuta Mail, boasting over ten million users globally, asserts that since March 2024, its visibility in Google searches for “encrypted email” has significantly declined.
The email provider alleges that Google’s actions have adversely affected its business, citing a complaint filed with the European Union.
This complaint targeted Google, whose own Gmail service enjoys widespread popularity, for allegedly undermining competition.
Google, however, refuted these allegations, asserting that Tuta Mail remains easily discoverable through its search engine.
Tuta Mail’s grievance extends to its observed decline in search rankings on Google since March 2024, particularly in searches related to terms like “secure email.” This shift in visibility prompts concerns about Google’s impartiality in presenting search results.
As a result, monthly visits to pages on its website dropped by almost 90%, Tuta’s formal complaint to the EU alleges.
“At the beginning of March 2024 Google suddenly stopped displaying our website for thousands of keywords,” it wrote in the complaint.
Subsequent to the change, website traffic was solely derived from searches that specifically mentioned the names of the organization’s products.
Matthias Pfau, co-founder of Tuta Mail said, “Google must stop this unfair limitation of showing our website in search results immediately.”
Google’s Complex Update
Google’s search algorithm plays a crucial role in determining the order of search results, considering various factors to ensure relevance and usefulness to users. Updates to this algorithm can significantly affect businesses reliant on traffic generated from Google searches.
In early March, Google implemented an update to its algorithm, notifying users of potential increased fluctuations in search result rankings. This adjustment raised concerns among businesses, as shifts in ranking can impact website traffic and ultimately, revenue.
However, Google maintains that its updates are not designed to give preferential treatment to any specific website, including its own. This assertion aims to reassure users and maintain trust in the neutrality of Google’s search platform.
“Search ranking updates absolutely do not aim to preference Google products or any other particular website. The email provider in question is easily accessible globally on Search,” Google wrote.
With over a billion users globally, Gmail is one of the most widely used email services. Tuta argues that if niche email services like its own do not appear for commonly searched terms, they are hindered from growing into viable competitors.
The company emphasized the importance of fair visibility in search results to foster competition in the email service market.
In a blog post, Tuta accused Google of violating a recent EU law that came into effect in March. This law identifies certain large companies, including Google, as “gatekeepers,” subjecting them to additional legal obligations.
Among these obligations is the requirement to refrain from showing favoritism towards their own services over competitors’ offerings.
“Even when people search for “Tutanota login” on Google in Germany, they do not see our website as a first result – but our Android app on Google Play. On other search engines – like DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, or Bing – there is no issue, the Tuta website comes up as the first search result.”
“Google in its role as a gatekeeper is impacting the profits and marketability of our private email service Tuta Mail – a direct competitor to Google’s Gmail, which goes against the Digital Markets Act”, the company wrote.
But, according to a Google spokesperson, Tuta ranks above Gmail for a range of email-related searches, including ones that don’t mention it as a brand and those it referred to in its blog.
Tuta’s accusation highlights the ongoing scrutiny faced by tech giants regarding their market dominance and treatment of competitors, as regulatory bodies seek to ensure fair competition and consumer choice.
READ ALSO: U.S Accused Of Dragging Belarus Into Russia-Ukraine War
