The European Union upheld a $4 billion it hit Google  (GOOGL)  with in 2018 for an antitrust case involving its Android operating system, bringing its total $8 billion in fines over the past decade. 

TheStreet’s Martin Baccardax broke down why the E.U. is going after Google’s wallet and what it could mean for other big tech companies. 

MARTIN BACCARDAX: Basically, this is a fine from a couple of years ago that has been in the appeal process. The second-highest court in Europe essentially upheld it today. It's going to be about $4 billion. The allegation is that Google basically used its muscle on Android phone manufacturers to ensure that Google's search dominance remained inside the world's biggest economic block, and, indeed in other parts of the world economy as well. 

Margarethe Vestager is the competition authority in Europe and she has had her sights trained on U.S. tech companies for a number of years now, so the precedent is firmly set. There's one more appeal that could be made, and that's to the highest court in Europe, that might take another year or so to filter through. 

But it does suggest, and certainly if that's upheld, it would cement the fact that big tech companies are not going to be able to do exactly what they want in markets all over the world if the E.U. has anything to do with it. And, therefore, these fines are only going to increase probably in frequency and certainly in value.