U.S. judge rules Google has illegal monopoly on search
A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that Google violated U.S. antitrust law, spending billions of dollars to create an illegal monopoly and become the world’s default search engine, the first big win for federal authorities against the Alphabet subsidiary.
David Shepardson and Mike Scarcella for Reuters:
The ruling paves the way for a second trial to determine potential fixes, possibly including a breakup of Google parent Alphabet, which would change the landscape of the online advertising world that Google has dominated for years.
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MacDailyNews Take: Duh.
Even as we attempt to move away from the ad-supported model, we back whatever remedy or remedies will introduce competition back into the online advertising business, which is broken, in part, because far too much power is concentrated with Google/Facebook. This situation is exactly why antitrust laws exist. – MacDailyNews, February 2, 2021
Google is an online advertising monopoly masquerading as a search engine. Effective antitrust action against Google that restores competition into the the online search and advertising markets would be very welcome (while we’re still here, please)!
The unfortunately ubiquitous search engine is a mechanism for tracking users in order to deliver targeted advertising to them.
If you haven’t already, give DuckDuckGo a try today (https://duckduckgo.com) or even Bing. Anything to help restore at least some competition to online search. – MacDailyNews, March 17, 2021
We’d like to see real competition in the online search and advertising markets restored someday. — MacDailyNews, March 20, 2019
With this unprecedented power, platforms have the ability to redirect into their pockets the advertising dollars that once went to newspapers and magazines. No one company should have the power to pick and choose which content reaches consumers and which doesn’t. — MacDailyNews, November 9, 2017
Imagine if your livelihood depended on one company that had not only monopolized web search (and, thereby, basically controlled how new customers find you), but also controlled the bulk of online advertising dollars which funded your business and which they could pull, simply threaten to pull, or reduce rates at any time? Now also imagine if you believe this monopolist basically stole the product of another company that is the very subject of your business? How much would you criticize the monopolist thief’s business practices?
You might guess that it would be a tough road to walk. (We’re only imagining, of course!)
That would be a good example of why monopolies are bad for everyone…
In the meantime, stop using Google search and Google products wherever possible. Monopolies are bad for everyone. — MacDailyNews, July 14, 2016
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