ANKARA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's Competition Authority announced on Friday that it has opened an investigation into Google's Performance Max (PMAX) advertising product for possible violations of competition laws.
Launched in 2021, PMAX is an AI-driven ad campaign tool that lets advertisers run ads across all of Google's platforms -- such as Google Shopping, Search, YouTube, Discover, Display Network, and Maps -- through a single campaign.
The authority said it is investigating claims that Google breached Turkish law by using PMAX to shift its dominance in online search advertising to other advertising services. The probe focuses on whether Google exploited advertisers using PMAX, distorted market competition, and unfairly combined data from multiple channels.
Unlike other Google ad campaigns, PMAX uses AI to identify in real time which ad spaces will generate the most conversions and automatically optimizes ad delivery.
This investigation follows a December ruling when the Turkish regulator fined Google about 75 million U.S. dollars over previous advertising practice violations.
If the current investigation confirms anti-competitive behavior, Google could face significant fines and regulatory actions. ■
