Causes.com
| 8.14.24
DOJ Considers How To Handle Google Monopoly After Federal Ruling
Should Big Tech's power be reined in?
Updated August 14, 2024
- The Department of Justice and state attorney generals are said to be considering how to handle Google's monopoly on online search after a federal judge found the company guilty of antitrust law violations last week. Various proposals include breaking off parts of the company—such as its Chrome browser or Android smartphone operating system—, forcing Google to make its data available to its rivals, or mandating that it abandon deals to make Google the default search option—such as with the iPhone.
- Sources close to the case said government officials will be meeting with other companies and experts to discuss the options to limit Google's power.
- While Google has yet to comment on the DOJ's actions, the company pledged to appeal the ruling.
What's the story?
- A federal judge has ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search. This decision takes a hit at big tech companies and could potentially impact how they conduct business on a fundamental level.
- The Department of Justice, along with a bipartisan group of attorney generals from 38 states and territories, sued Google for its illegal dominance in the online search field. Google was accused of doing so by paying companies like Apple and Samsung to have Google automatically handle search queries.
- Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled:
"After having carefully considered and weighted the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly."
- This significant ruling is a win for American regulators attempting to rein in the power of tech giants in the 21st century.
The impact to other antitrust lawsuits
- Judge Mehta's ruling will likely impact other government antitrust lawsuits against Apple, Amazon, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
- The DOJ argued that by paying billions of dollars to be the automatic search engine, as Google has done, the company denies its competitors the opportunity to build their business to the scale required to be a competitor of Google.
Amazon
- Amazon is also facing an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), accusing the company of preventing online merchants from selling their products on other platforms at a lower price, forcing them to use Amazon's warehouses and delivery systems.
- The lawsuit, which was joined by 17 state attorneys general, follows a four-year investigation. The FTC said:
"Left unchecked, Amazon will continue its illegal course of conduct to maintain its monopoly power."
- A U.S. federal judge set an October 2026 trial date for the FTC's case against Amazon.
Meta
- In December 2020, the FTC sued Meta for creating a social media monopoly when it bought Instagram and WhatsApp, saying the merger deprived customers of alternative social media platforms. The judge claimed that the FTC failed to provide sufficient evidence that Meta had monopoly power, and Meta asked the judge to dismiss the case. There is a potential for the case to reopen.
Apple
- In March, the DOJ sued Apple for using a monopoly to block competition in the smartphone market. The department accused Apple of halting companies from offering applications that competed with Apple products, such as cloud-based streaming apps, messaging, and digital wallets.
- Apple said it planned to dismiss the case, saying it will "vigorously defend" itself against the "threats."
Should Big Tech's power be reined in?
-Jamie Epstein
(Photo Credit: Flickr/Robert Scoble)
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I am a Google user and I automatically use their search, but I do oppose monopolies and feel they should face consequences if they have established a monopoly, just as Microsoft has repeatedly for similar actions with their software.
It's time for Congress to step it up and reign in all the Big Tech. These companies can afford it.
What is Congress afraid of? The donations drying up?
Nice move, but more to go:
https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmauldin/2019/04/11/america-has-a-monopoly-problem/
https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2024-01-24-stock-market-loves-monopoly-concentration/
https://ilsr.org/fighting-monopoly-power/why-it-matters/
You cannot target only one tech giant, when you have grocery, oil & gas, farming, diamond industries, etc. that are, in fact, monopolies.
Justices want to take a stand against monopolies? How about Walmart? Tesla? Monsanto? The 4 big banking institutions? I can go on.
My question is, what exactly is the tipping point before someone takes action?
When I was a child there was pretty one telephone company. We called it Ma Bell (I do not remember the actual name of the company but only the song about the break up). The break up was hard.
There needs to be plan put in place if Google is going to give up a few of it's departments.
I dobfeel Google is dominant but it is widely use.
WELL--THAT TOOK WAY TOO LONG!
Big Tech has been running rampant and price-gouging us all. It's late but not too late to set some standards and tighen up the rules and regulations!
The penalty for those types of illegal activities done by big tech companies such as Google or Amazon should be penalized by a fraction of their wealth. That being said, the government will benefit more from penalties than any other punishment seeing as how those companies are unreliably pushing the envelope constantly and the only true way to prevent such illegal activities from transpiring again is to assert a bit of legal payback - almost like a tariff sanctioned against China.
Sure, it was an economically terrible idea for China to be penalized with tariffs due to their ingenuities against American interests within the fields of importing/exporting but I strongly believe that a fraction of any companies' wealth that may be attributed towards an antitrust lawsuit should be paid forward towards our government.
With more money, there will be more housing opportunities for the homeless and an economic plan for getting rid of homelessness and to increase the employment rate of those who were affected so to be able to decrease the unemployed rate for those who have recently lost their jobs and are on the verge of being homeless.
Yes. Monopolies limit competition and innovation which allows China who suppports and subsidizes innovation to become the new leader in Tech'
l Get paid over $110 per hour working from home. l never thought I'd be able to do it but my buddy makes over $19786 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless....
This is what I do… https://www.cashdaily9.com
Monopolies always tend toward higher prices, and less competitive services.
By breaking up monopolies, companies have to compete. Competition can give us lower prices, and better services.
I agree that companies that have a monopoly must give up their monopoly in order to better serve the people.
Is Trump just putting rapist and criminals on his cabinet. He is a convicted felon and must I say a rapist also. How he was able to run for President is beyond me.
I get paid over $40 per hour working from home with 2 kids at home. I never thought I'd be able to do it but my best friend earns over 10k a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The potential with this is endless. Heres what I've been doing..
check https://paybuzz108.pages.dev
https://aje.io/x26zag
this is what happens when wierdos are empowered politically and/or financially
using X to spread misinformation, as a selectively filter to destabilize politics is nothing short of evil
Big Tech & scotus ...
Alito reported receiving concert tickets valued at $900 from Germany’s Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, also known as “Princess TNT.” He also reported securing a small loan – valued at less than $15,000 – but did not include details about either entry. His report comes months after other justices posted their own disclosures
a USDA inspector is not allowed to even accept a cup of coffee! forget about a written code of ethics! where is your moral compass? and you and your wives want to hang the ten commandments in every classroom?
idiots!
Musk Dares the World to Take On X as He Scoffs at Brazil’s Ban
musk's version of free speech is anything goes if its from him or those he supports or do his bidding ... we know one evil bozo who practices 'do as i say not as i do!
never used twitter x fb etc never will
DATA THEFT has made a very few people stupidly wealthy and practically left everyone else including and especially farmers in the dust under the guise of making things easier
big corps can acquire / buy this data and position themselves exactly where they barely let you breathe
look at the recent spate of earnings, stock buybacks, executive compensations
its only going to get worse until there are proactive measures to stop these goons
Why are they financing / donating billions to republicans? Billions ... because they do their bidding
That Consolidation in the tech industry continues in your damn grocery stores as well! LeslieG and many others have already documented much on this same subject.
Heck, I even want CHOICE (and I'm a male!) when picking a Grocery Stores!
We know what the Repuglican'ts will do if they get back in!
FU cornyn, cruz, crenshaw, abbortt (sp?😂), paxton and patrick!
https://search.app/yxvZh7z3xpz3jjAA7
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/media/mark-zuckerberg-election-season-republicans?cid=ios_app
All zuck wants is less scrutiny & more bucks! time to show him using the only language these greedy goons will understand - boycott and regulation! folks do your part ... eliminate facebook meta whatsapp etc from your lives! congress where are you? step up your game and stop taking his tainted money
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp00y03q93mo
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/business/mark-zuckerberg-meta-biden-censor-covid-2021?cid=ios_app
Hey zuck since when did you become a digital saint & purist? you will do anything for a buck! never used your platforms never will ... not that you care but your platforms and others are a social disease and yes you need to be 'pressured' in every manner at all times.
Since high school when we learned about "Big Tobacco," I have not been a fan of corporate superpowers. However, when politics gets involved in decisions regarding corporate superpowers, we must be very, very careful because some administrations like Administration 45 have their own agenda. I'm not sure what the agenda of the Biden administration is; it has not been made clear to the general public, so I am not decided on whether I want Google reigned in, without knowing what that will entail for end users.
I an appalled to see many commenters on this platform just whole out against corporate superpowers. I can understand the sentiments; but without specifics how can one say one wants the "government" to do whatever it wants. This is not at all advisable as far as I'm concerned.
Krogers wants to acquire Albertsons despite negation from antitrust now suing the govt!?
Greed !
I think it's a really good time to get Elon Musk out of government business starting with NASA. The man is proving himself to be a complete nutcase and I don't think you should be with our future.
Big tech should definitely be reigned in.
Will not happen as they own the Democrats like personal injury lawyers own Dems
Yes this is a good idea & long over due. It will also lead to lower cost to consumers.
Big Tech should be reined in. Big Pharma should be reined in. Big Business of all sorts should be reined in.