I really can't understand logic of FTC going after Google over some silly allegations of search results tempering.. Couple of things... First, Search is Google's bread and butter and I would really doubt if they will tinker it intentionally for minor gains.. Secondly, if they really do something this stupid, there are enough search engines in market where users can go and use them and ditch Google.. Leave it up to users to decide if they like search results or not..
I very strongly feel that such things are responsible for unnecessary increasing cost of doing business and thus higher costs to end users/customers.. This only creates some dumb excuses for bigger government and hence bigger tax bill for citizens.. Unless, there are some serious monopoly issues, government should let consumers and users of these services decide about which services to use and which ones not to..
Here is the article from San Jose Mercury News:
Antitrust probe of Google is urged
By Jeff Bliss
Bloomberg News
Google’s business practices, including allegations the company favors its own services in Internet searches, raise concerns about squelching competition that need to be reviewed by U.S. regulators, two lawmakers said. The Federal Trade Commission should determine whether Google has violated antitrust law or hurt consumers, said Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the panel’s senior Republican, in a letter Monday to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. Earlier this year, the FTC initiated an investigation of Mountain Viewbased Google, owner of the world’s most popular search engine. The FTC is examining whether Google unfairly ranks search results and is using its control of the Android mobile operating system to discourage smartphone makers from using rivals’ applications and services, a person familiar with the matter said in August. Google’s practices “warrant a thorough investigation by the FTC,” the senators wrote in the letter released Monday. “A key question is whether Google is using its market power to steer users to its own Web products or secondary services and discriminating against other websites with which it competes.” The lawmakers’ letter took no position on the legality of Google’s practices.
“We appreciate that the committee reserved judgment as we continue to cooperate with the FTC,” Adam Kovacevich, a Google spokesman, said in an email.
I very strongly feel that such things are responsible for unnecessary increasing cost of doing business and thus higher costs to end users/customers.. This only creates some dumb excuses for bigger government and hence bigger tax bill for citizens.. Unless, there are some serious monopoly issues, government should let consumers and users of these services decide about which services to use and which ones not to..
Here is the article from San Jose Mercury News:
Antitrust probe of Google is urged
By Jeff Bliss
Bloomberg News
Google’s business practices, including allegations the company favors its own services in Internet searches, raise concerns about squelching competition that need to be reviewed by U.S. regulators, two lawmakers said. The Federal Trade Commission should determine whether Google has violated antitrust law or hurt consumers, said Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the panel’s senior Republican, in a letter Monday to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. Earlier this year, the FTC initiated an investigation of Mountain Viewbased Google, owner of the world’s most popular search engine. The FTC is examining whether Google unfairly ranks search results and is using its control of the Android mobile operating system to discourage smartphone makers from using rivals’ applications and services, a person familiar with the matter said in August. Google’s practices “warrant a thorough investigation by the FTC,” the senators wrote in the letter released Monday. “A key question is whether Google is using its market power to steer users to its own Web products or secondary services and discriminating against other websites with which it competes.” The lawmakers’ letter took no position on the legality of Google’s practices.
“We appreciate that the committee reserved judgment as we continue to cooperate with the FTC,” Adam Kovacevich, a Google spokesman, said in an email.
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