European Union
Antitrust Criticism Towards Google In Europe Accompanied By Microsoft
Google’s runaway success in Europe has earned it attention in the form of an antitrust investigation. Among other things, Google’s smaller European opponents, of whom some are affiliated with Microsoft, accuse it of burying them in search engine outcomes. Microsoft backed up the corporations it holds interest in Europe and joined the Google antitrust complaint.
Complaint Microsoft issued towards Google
In Europe, Google will have to deal with the antitrust complaint that Microsoft filed saying that Google is limiting access to data needed with YouTube and Google services like this in order to hurt European consumers. Currently, Google is already being investigated by the European Union Competition Commission for antitrust problems. Adding Microsoft could really help the issue. Google controls about 95 percent of the Internet search industry in Europe while Microsoft’s search engine, Bing, swims with the other minnows. Google, which has become Europe’s central online hub for advertisers, has also grown accustomed to European antitrust complaints about competition among search engines. Microsoft has decided to start fighting Google and complain after being in antitrust investigations for Windows for years and after paying the European commission billions in fines.
Google angry about Bing
The Google antitrust grievance Microsoft filed in Europe is all about background technologies that unlock Google products. An example would be “application programming interfaces” that are used. Microsoft alleges that Google fiddles with the application programming interfaces to interfere with access to YouTube by Bing and other competing search engines, thus herding their users toward Google. Both the Android and iPhone don’t experience the issues Windows phone users experience when trying to access YouTube. It is very hard because of the programming Google does, says Microsoft. Microsoft suspects that Windows Phones are getting the short shrift because of Bing because Apple does not compete with Google in the search engine industry. Microsoft also alleges that Google blocks some advertisers from access to data they need to optimize advertising on rival platforms, allegations already being investigated by the EU antitrust probe.
Issue Google faces in Europe
The European Union Commission spokesman said that Google can speak. Its side of the story must also be heard. Google has said the restraint on third-party software is to maintain the consistency of Google’s ad service and that advertisers are allowed unfettered access to data. But Microsoft’s involvement in Europe raises the stakes. Google could face a fine of up to 10 percent of annual global revenues, which exceeded $29 billion last year. There might also have to be other changes. This would be done to business in Europe. The EU commission said that Google would be able to defend itself and keep away from a fine by changing its business in Europe before Microsoft got involved.
Citations
Associated Press
finance.yahoo.com/news/Microsoft-throws-weight-apf-1337664829.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=6&asset=&ccode=
Los Angeles Times
latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/03/microsoft-files-european-antitrust-complaint-against-google.html
New York Times
nytimes.com/2011/04/01/technology/01google.html?src=busln
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