Getty Images joins Google’s EU complaint

Getty Images Inc., the world’s largest photo agency, complained earlier this year to European antitrust officials that Google Inc. unfairly favors its image-search service over rivals, potentially adding another sector to the continent’s antitrust investigation of the Internet-search giant, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In early June, the European Commission told Getty that its concerns were relevant and added Getty as an “interested third person” in its search-manipulation case against Google, according to a document reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. That allows the firm to participate in hearings and submit evidence to the European Commission, according to antitrust experts.

The commission in April charged Google with favoring its own shopping service over rivals in search results. The regulator wants Google to change how it ranks shopping services and warned of large fines if Google doesn’t comply.

Beyond shopping, the commission also said it was actively investigating Google’s alleged favorable treatment of specialized search services in areas such as local search, travel and maps. Getty’s complaint could ultimately add image search to that list.

“It’s entirely possible for [the commission] to expand the scope of the investigation” based on additional information from companies in related businesses, said Alan Riley, a competition-law expert at the law school of City University London.