Forum Moderators: goodroi
The EU's antitrust chief has set a July 2 deadline for Google to offer changes in its search engine and advertising algorithms or face investigation into alleged favoritism. The search giant is accused of abusing its market dominance.
Google is currently used for about 90 per cent of all internet searches in Europe. The EU is concerned that the company may be tinkering with search results to put its own services ahead of competitors and bans rivals from advertising at Google-controlled web pages, thus violating the semi-monopoly, Joaquin Almunia, the head of competition policy said in a letter.
Almunia indicated, that he expects Google to follow the request without the issue being taken to court. If the situation develops otherwise, a high profile battle not unlike Brussels’ antitrust war against Microsoft last decade may follow. In the worst-case scenario Google may face multimillion-euro fines.
[edited by: tedster at 7:26 am (utc) on Jun 4, 2012]
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EU tells Google to fix search or face antitrust probe
[edited by: tedster at 7:32 am (utc) on Jun 4, 2012]
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EU launches antitrust probe into alleged Google abuses
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Google after other search engines complained that the firm had abused its dominant position.
The EC will examine whether the world's largest search engine penalised competing services in its results.
The objections in both cases are from competitors which allege that Google manipulates its search results.
Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, the world's largest advertising agency, welcomed the EU's decision to investigate.
"Search is the portal to the internet and Google has a colossal share," Sir Martin told the BBC. "I do not think that the investigation is surprising, given the strategic importance of the internet."
He said that many of WPP's big clients will also welcome the probe.
ICOMP, a business group whose members include Foundem, said it welcomed the investigation. "This is not just about search results," said ICOMP's legal adviser David Wood.
"This is about the whole ecosystem of doing business with online content, online advertising companies and software companies."
[bbc.com...]
I hate to say it but WE ALL have ourselves to blame for Google's power.
We gladly jumped on the wagon and told all our friends how great it was. They didn't even have to advertise on their rise to power all thanks to us.
