The Lovehoney Group, a UK-based vendor specializing in sexual wellness products, has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. The company contends that Google’s content regulations for search results violate EU law by unjustly omitting its products from visibility.
Claims of Unfair Treatment
Lovehoney alleges that Google’s Safe Search function disproportionately limits access to its products, which are legally available and age-unrestricted. This includes popular items featured on sites like Womanizer.com and We-Vibe. In comparison, the company argues that similar products sold by mainstream retailers, such as Rossmann and Carrefour, continue to be prominently displayed in search results.
This situation, according to Lovehoney, constitutes a violation of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), legislation designed to foster a competitive and equitable digital marketplace.
Advocating for Fairness in Digital Markets
The complaint was officially submitted to the European Commission on March 7. Following this, Lovehoney representatives engaged in discussions with the DMA unit, as confirmed by company spokesperson Verena Singmann. “It is our [goal to] promote sexual happiness and empowerment because we know that it is imperative for people’s health, wellbeing, and happiness,” Singmann stated.
Singmann emphasized the importance of ensuring that digital gatekeepers like Google implement content guidelines in a manner that is both fair and transparent. A spokesperson for the Commission acknowledged receipt of the complaint and indicated that it is currently under review as “market information,” noting that the existing regulations do not incorporate a formal complaint process.