US regulators moving to suing Google

[cpvr]

It's quite a shame that the United States isn't trying to protect Google, instead trying to go against them. We all know that if Google's market share wasn't as large as it is today, this probably wouldn't be going on.

But here's the news, let us know what you think: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/report-us-regulators-move-closer-suing-google

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are moving closer to suing Google over allegations that the company has abused its dominance of Internet search to stifle competition and drive up online advertising prices, news reports said Friday.
Several news outlets reported that staff members at the Federal Trade Commission are preparing to recommend that the agency file an antitrust lawsuit against the search giant. A majority of the five FTC commissioners would have to approve a suit before legal action could proceed.
The reports from The New York Times, Bloomberg News and Reuters cited unnamed people briefed on the FTC's investigation.
FTC spokesman Peter Kaplan declined to comment.
The agency has been investigating Google's business practices. The probe was triggered by complaints that Google Inc. has been highlighting its peripheral services in its influential search results and relegating offerings from its rivals to the back pages.
The FTC also has been looking into whether Google has rigged its results in a way that has prodded websites to pay more to promote their services through Google's advertising network.
In a statement Friday, Google said, "We are happy to answer any questions that regulators have about our business."

@Monster @Dan Hutter @Brandon

 

[Monster]

eh ... nothing new there ... Google being the third after Microsoft and IBM. This sort of started with AT&T / Bell in the 1970ies, IIRC ...

Google nowadays is a mega corporation, a far cry from the garage kids of old ...

 

[Dan Hutter]

eh ... nothing new there ... Google being the third after Microsoft and IBM. This sort of started with AT&T / Bell in the 1970ies, IIRC ...

Google nowadays is a mega corporation, a far cry from the garage kids of old ...

+1

They'll pay a couple hundred million in penalties and agree to some silly rules that don't let them maximize heir market share.

Just because a company is at the top of it's game and doing fantastic numbers doesn't mean it's being anti-competitive.

 

[johnthomas1433]

The government have only tried to snatch away what these big corporations have made over these years. Its actually a disgrace from the part of government to perform such actions. Google is the monopoly when it comes to search engines. They have more than 85% of the market share. They didn't do it in one day. They have taken more than a decade to be where they are today, and it wasn't easy.

Its their search engine, and they have the right to do whatever they wish to do so with it. Its time these federal regulators learnt their place.

 

[Jura]

A decade is nothing.

Google already does what they want including censorship and then shutting people out when they try to repeal it. I don't think some people in this thread understand the harm that monopolies can have on the consumer and people.

 

[old_member]

+1

They'll pay a couple hundred million in penalties and agree to some silly rules that don't let them maximize heir market share.

I think that like Microsoft, Google will also have to give something much more valuable than penalties: backdoors and information access.