MarketWatch: FTC antitrust suit against Facebook could come by year’s end. “The Federal Trade Commission is preparing a possible antitrust lawsuit against Facebook Inc. that it could file by the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter, in a case that would challenge the company’s dominant position in social media.”
antitrust
BNN Bloomberg: After $9 Billion in Fines, EU Says Something Nice About Google
BNN Bloomberg: After $9 Billion in Fines, EU Says Something Nice About Google. “After fining Google more than 8.2 billion euros ($9.7 billion) in three antitrust cases, a European Union official finally had something nice to say about the Internet giant. Olivier Guersent, the head of the European Commission’s antitrust arm, said Google’s efforts to provide more choice in shopping search results lead to ‘good, positive developments.’ Guersent’s comments Wednesday potentially ease the threat of new fines for the Alphabet Inc. unit.”
Reuters: Google grilled on ad business dominance by U.S. Senate panel
Reuters: Google grilled on ad business dominance by U.S. Senate panel. “Alphabet Inc’s Google faced a bipartisan buzzsaw of tough questions about its ad business in a hearing on Tuesday, with a particular focus on whether it misused its dominance in online advertising to drive profits.”
Reuters: Google faces grilling on ad business before U.S. Senate antitrust panel
Reuters: Google faces grilling on ad business before U.S. Senate antitrust panel . “Alphabet Inc’s Google will be questioned about its ad business in a hearing on Tuesday, with a particular focus expected on whether it misused its dominance in online advertising to drive profits.”
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Google Antitrust Case Set to Expand With GOP States Joining
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Google Antitrust Case Set to Expand With GOP States Joining. “About a dozen states, mostly led by Republicans, are expected to join the Justice Department’s upcoming antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according to people familiar with the investigation.”
Reuters: Progressive Democrats urge action on tech as potential Google lawsuit looms
Reuters: Progressive Democrats urge action on tech as potential Google lawsuit looms. “With expectations of a U.S. government lawsuit against Alphabet’s Google within weeks, two progressive Democrats tweeted support for legal action against tech giants who break the law, in a rare instance of agreement with the Republican administration amid a polarized political environment.”
Google’s antitrust battles: What you need to know (CNET)
CNET: Google’s antitrust battles: What you need to know. “Google is on a collision course with the government over its size and dominance. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is a sprawling operation whose businesses include web searches, maps, the YouTube video platform and the Android mobile operating system. Google’s products have become ubiquitous across the globe. Many of its services have more than a billion monthly users apiece.” Good overview but not enough about antitrust actions outside the US.
Reuters: Italy antitrust opens inquiry into Google, Apple, Dropbox on cloud computing
Reuters: Italy antitrust opens inquiry into Google, Apple, Dropbox on cloud computing. “Italy’s antitrust authority said on Monday it had opened an inquiry into Google Inc, Apple Inc and Dropbox Inc over cloud computing services.”
Welland Tribune: Australia is in a fight with Facebook and Google. Canada could be next
Welland Tribune: Australia is in a fight with Facebook and Google. Canada could be next. “It’s language typically reserved for armed conflicts or natural disasters. This week, Canada’s heritage minister used it for a regulatory spat in Australia. ‘The Canadian government stands with our Australian partners and denounces any form of threats,’ Steven Guilbeault said in an emailed statement to the Star’s Susan Delacourt. The ‘threats’ Guilbeault referred to involved some of the world’s richest and most influential corporations, Facebook and Google, which have separately warned Canada’s friends down under that they will suspend services in Australia or block media organizations from using their platforms if Canberra follows through with a law they don’t like.”
New York Times: Justice Dept. Plans to File Antitrust Charges Against Google in Coming Weeks
New York Times: Justice Dept. Plans to File Antitrust Charges Against Google in Coming Weeks. “The Justice Department plans to bring an antitrust case against Google as soon as this month, after Attorney General William P. Barr overruled career lawyers who said they needed more time to build a strong case against one of the world’s wealthiest, most formidable technology companies, according to five people briefed on internal department conversations.”
Reuters: Google urges EU to be flexible in setting digital rule book
Reuters: Google urges EU to be flexible in setting digital rule book. “Google urged the European Commission on Thursday to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to the tech industry in its forthcoming Digital Services Act. The EU executive is drawing up new rules for data-sharing and the digital marketplace as well as boosting competition after concluding that multiple antitrust actions against Google have been ineffectual. The Commission’s public consultation period ends on Sept. 8.”
Mashable: Facebook and Google probably won’t like this new antitrust agreement
Mashable: Facebook and Google probably won’t like this new antitrust agreement. “The U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K. have signed an agreement to share information about competition laws and policies, with a focus on coordinating cases and investigations spanning international borders. Google and Facebook aren’t going to like this.”
New York Times: Big Tech’s Domination of Business Reaches New Heights
New York Times: Big Tech’s Domination of Business Reaches New Heights. “American tech titans flew high before the coronavirus pandemic, making billions of dollars a year. Now, the upheaval has lifted them to new heights, putting the industry in a position to dominate American business in a way unseen since the days of railroads.”
Bloomberg: U.S. Google Monopoly Case Could Hit Supreme Court AmEx Hurdle
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Google Monopoly Case Could Hit Supreme Court AmEx Hurdle. “As the Justice Department prepares to file a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, a 2018 Supreme Court decision in favor of American Express Co. could complicate matters.”
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Antitrust Case Against Google Zeroes In On ‘Tying’ Products
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Antitrust Case Against Google Zeroes In On ‘Tying’ Products. “Government officials building an antitrust case against Google are investigating whether the company engages in tying, the practice of bundling different products together in a way that can block out competitors and give the seller an unfair advantage.”
