Coupang fined $12.4 million for manipulating search algorithm

Seoul: The antitrust watchdog announced Thursday that it has decided to fine e-commerce giant Coupang 140 billion won ($12.44 million) for using unfair search algorithms and uploading fake product reviews to boost sales of its own-brand products.

The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) also referred the company and one of its subsidiaries, Coupang Private Label Brands (CPLB), to prosecutors for further investigation and ordered them to take corrective action. Coupang used deceptive algorithms to ensure greater exposure for its own-brand products on its platform than those of other suppliers from February 2019 to the present, Yonhap news agency reported.