Google is an illegal monopoly, federal court rules

[Cattledog]

Source: Washington Post

A federal court has found that Google illegally abused its market power to quash competition, in a landmark win by the Justice Department against Big Tech.
Judge Amit P. Mehta wrote in his judgment that Google, a unit of Alphabet, has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act by maintaining its monopoly in two product markets in the United States — general search service and general text advertising — through exclusive distribution agreements with customer companies.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/05/doj-google-monopoly-trial-judgment/

[ms liberty]

1. This might become interesting.

[elleng]

2. *The case has been closely watched in antitrust law circles as the first of a string of cases by federal prosecutors

against high-tech giants, as Washington antitrust enforcers argue that Big Tech has gotten too powerful and doesn’t serve the public interest. Lawsuits have also been filed against Amazon, Meta and Apple.

The Justice Department had asserted that Google violated federal antitrust law contracts requiring Google search to be installed as the default on Android smartphones, among other practices that prevented its rivals from competing on an even playing field.

Google had argued that users were free to switch their default search engine, and that it is easy to do so.'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/05/doj-google-monopoly-trial-judgment/

[eggplant]

5. c.f. Microsoft + Internet Explorer. n/t

[Mosby]

7. Yeah, and yet chrome controls 90+ percent of the browser market today

And all that MS predatory behavior that earned them billions of fines from the EU and US about bundling IE was an illusion. Just like the EU going after Teams now, it's legal malpractice, government shakedown.

[SupportSanity]

3. non-paywall link

https://archive.ph/yEwC5

[elleng]

4. NYT:

Judge Amit P. Mehta of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said in a 277-page ruling that Google had abused a monopoly over the search business. The Justice Department and states had sued Google, accusing it of illegally cementing its dominance, in part, by paying other companies, like Apple and Samsung, billions of dollars a year to have Google automatically handle search queries on their smartphones and web browsers.

“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta said in his ruling.

The ruling is a verdict on the rise of giant technology companies that have used their roots in the internet to influence the way we shop, consume information and search online — and indicates a potential limit of Big Tech’s power. The ruling is likely to influence other government antitrust lawsuits against Google, Apple, Amazon and Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The last significant antitrust ruling against a tech company targeted Microsoft more than two decades ago.

Monday’s ruling did not include remedies for Google’s behavior. Judge Mehta will now decide that, potentially forcing the company to change the way it runs or to sell off part of its business.

What the Judge Said in His Ruling>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/05/technology/google-antitrust-ruling.html

[SupportSanity]

6. (non-paywall) version

https://archive.is/ybVzG

[cstanleytech]

8. I cant agree to be honest. Why?

Because Google doesnt own the internet like AT&T essentially did with the phone system decades ago and other big corporations are free to launch a competing service to take on Google if they are willing to shell out the money.

[Beringia]

9. Wow, I wonder how Google will change now

I realize I do see it everywhere, can't be good when there is no competition. Good for the Judge on ruling this way

[orthoclad]

10. Google is evil

I avoid it, and all its children.

Search engine. Youtube. "Free"mail.

It has become a monster.

Ask yourself: how did the Alphabet folks become billionaires from "free" services?