Consumer Watchdog Calls on FTC to Break Up Google
Nov 15, 2012, 4:31 PM by Eric M. Zeman
Consumer Watchdog today filed a letter with the Federal Trade Commission requesting that the government file a lawsuit against Google and seek to dismantle Google's separate business units due to its monopolistic behavior. Specifically, Consumer Watchdog wants the FTC to force Google to divest its Motorola Mobility unit, which it finalized purchasing earlier this year. It also thinks Google's Gmail and Google+ businesses, its YouTube business, and its enterprise application units should be spun off. Further, Consumer Watchdog suggests that Google's search business be separated from services where Google provides its own content.
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Comments
Having a monopoly is not illegal
Lost in this discussion is the fact that merely having a monopoly in a particular market is not illegal....what IS illegal is leveraging your monopoly to force yourself into other markets.....and I don't think that anyone can honestly claim that Google is guilty of that....Google's services work on all platforms, they make work better on Android, but you can't reasonably expect them to just give away their best to their competitors.
Apple on the other hand.....I think only can make a strong legal case that Apple has used its monopoly on Mp3 players (and they DO have a monopoly, no question of that) to force themselves into other markets. Indeed, using the iPod to expand Apple's presence is a good one sentence summary of Apple's busines...
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Apple on the other hand.....I think only can make a strong legal case that Apple has used its monopoly on Mp3 players (and they DO have a monopoly, no question of that) to force themselves into other markets. Indeed, using the iPod to expand Apple's presence is a good one sentence summary of Apple's busines...
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Agreed!!
Leave Google alone, they RULE!!
Leave Google alone, they RULE!!
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Actually it is illegal to have a monopoly and to leverage your market share to your advantage. The Sherman act specifically outlines it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Act »
BTW Apple is not a monopoly. They are a software company, which is...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Act »
BTW Apple is not a monopoly. They are a software company, which is...
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Hi T-Bone. help me understand how Apple has a monopoly on MP3 players..... ??
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Apple on the other hand.....I think only can make a strong legal case that Apple has used its monopoly on Mp3 players (and they DO have a monopoly,...
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Apple on the other hand.....I think only can make a strong legal case that Apple has used its monopoly on Mp3 players (and they DO have a monopoly,...
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Hmmmm....
This group purports that the FTC has already received a recommendation by its own investigators to file a suit against Google. I am honestly torn. I like free stuff, but realize that there is no such thing. Advertising works. There is no way that businesses would pay billions to advertise if it did not. So if Google is an advertising company as Consumer Watchdog claims then what is the payoff? Is everything they are claiming true?
How dare they offer so much free stuff!
I agree they offer way more free stuff then every one else. they are monopolizing all the free stuff. They should definitely be broken up for that!
The English language needs to have a sarcastic mark. Some one will read this post and think I am serious. There is an exclamation mark, a question mark, but no sarcastic mark. Maybe what we really need to do is petition some one for a sarcastic mark?
The English language needs to have a sarcastic mark. Some one will read this post and think I am serious. There is an exclamation mark, a question mark, but no sarcastic mark. Maybe what we really need to do is petition some one for a sarcastic mark?
We have one, its called ' /s ' ;)
to be fair.....
Google refuses to let microsoft make a youtube app for their phones.
They were okay with Apple having an app, but microsoft was forced to make an app that redirects you to the mobile verison of youtube.com
Mainly because of Bing.
That's one case of something falling under the antitrust laws, but google is a big company.
I'd much rather see that problem corrected than have google broken up.
They were okay with Apple having an app, but microsoft was forced to make an app that redirects you to the mobile verison of youtube.com
Mainly because of Bing.
That's one case of something falling under the antitrust laws, but google is a big company.
I'd much rather see that problem corrected than have google broken up.
Yea Agreed. I didnt know this and wondered why we didnt have that. I Do believe that Google should allow microsoft to make there app. but google i dont think should be broken up. as they are now it helps the user experience. If creating an ecosystem f...
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Oh and Apple isn't?
So they are saying that Google needs to be broken up but not other mega corps like Apple that has 3 times the revenue of Google? On that premise they should just break up Microsoft too for having an all-encompassing ecosystem of apps, services, OS, and hardware products as well.
Preach. So when Microsoft starts producing there own phone will the world end because you will be able to have a Microsoft powered phone, tablet, netbook, notebook, desktop, game system, and who knows what other stuff will be available in the next yea...
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Revenue is not what makes a monopoly. Monopoly is defined by market share. By market share apple is a very small market. They only have 6% of the os market share where as Microsoft is 90%.
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This is Dumb
Google is in a competitive marketplace on everything that it offers. Bing is a click away from Google search. Facebook is a click away from G+. Vimeo is a click away from YouTube. Time Warner Cable and AT&T compete with Google Fiber. iOS and WIndows Phone compete with Android. HTC, Samsung, Apple, etc. compete with Motorola Mobility. Google Play competes with Amazon's portfolio of services on the Android platform, and iTunes + the App Store on iOS.
Plus, Google's system is reasonably open. Apple has a similar breadth of control (they don't own a social network or search engine...yet...but they pretty much own all in-app ad sales on their platform) yet the watchdog group isn't going after them. Totally fanboys.
Plus, Google's system is reasonably open. Apple has a similar breadth of control (they don't own a social network or search engine...yet...but they pretty much own all in-app ad sales on their platform) yet the watchdog group isn't going after them. Totally fanboys.
Apple had to shut that down. Now they are trying their own maps app. But your point is a good one there is plenty of competition for Google products and services.
Seriously?
What I'm getting from this is that they think that a company who blew up in the Internet Search is in violation of antitrust laws because it uses its search site to promote its other endeavors? Nonsense.
"Google exerts monopoly power over Internet searches"
So having a better product that more people use is considered a monopoly?
Also their request to divest Motorola Mobility has almost nothing to do with any of the issues that they bring up.
Jeeeez. Someone please tell me I'm missing something and Google is just controlling my mind.
"Google exerts monopoly power over Internet searches"
So having a better product that more people use is considered a monopoly?
Also their request to divest Motorola Mobility has almost nothing to do with any of the issues that they bring up.
Jeeeez. Someone please tell me I'm missing something and Google is just controlling my mind.
You aren't missing anything.
Verizon tried bundling Bing with Android devices...do they still do that anymore? Their success wasn't great I think, but it wasn't because Google had monopoly power over the (open) Android platform. It was because Goog...
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Verizon tried bundling Bing with Android devices...do they still do that anymore? Their success wasn't great I think, but it wasn't because Google had monopoly power over the (open) Android platform. It was because Goog...
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