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Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

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161–170 of 440 posts

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#161
post #139
post #82

Look, I get it — the issues with Google, Facebook, Amazon. But I can’t help but think about how AT&T and other ISPs banded together to claim they shouldn’t be regulated because they are Internet companies just like FANG during the Net Neutrality discussions. When I see just how bad ISPs are acting, in lack of competition, price gouging, content ownership, data monitoring, it really seems they were successful in shift…

I think more importantly, ISPs made a (in my opinion, bullshit) free market argument that resonated with conservatives. At the same time, FANG made themselves an enemy of conservatives. Conservatives are now in power.

You could make the free market argument here too, but it won't appeal to them. Conservatives have a sort of pact with business interests that are otherwise neutral on social issues. They can look after each other because neither care much about the other's priorities. FANG are not reliably neutral in that same way, they are more like Hollywood in terms of "values". Of course their money is just as good as anyone else's and conservatives will take a lot of it where there is a tactical advantage but there can't be a long-term alliance.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#162
post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google was also very positively connected to the Obama administration. It was some googlers that stepped in and turned around healthcare.gov for instance. I've heard a lot of rumors that they gave a lot of data access to the campaigns too.

Google engineers also built Obama's campaign software. The relationship was far tighter than most people realize.

They built his campaign software while working for Google? Are you sure about that?

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#163
post #150
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Collects money, yes. But collects more data? I'm dubious.

Perhaps you forgot about AWS? More than 70% of the world's internet data goes through just one of their data centers: https://www.nextgov.com/analytics-data/2016/01/70-percent-gl...

Unless subpoenaed, I doubt they do much more than collect access logs, and even then, I doubt they use those logs for anything outside AWS operations. If they were caught doing this, it would massively erode trust with AWS customers.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#164
post #73

Relevant tweet from a Yelp SVP, who propagated many allegations of anticompetitive behavior in Google Search: > :) https://twitter.com/lutherlowe/status/1134621790720995328

Maybe someone will investigate their mafia-like treatment of small businesses as well.

Two wrongs.. whataboutism.. etc.

Maybe yelp had to resort to these monetizing tactics because their results were buried by google promoting their own business-ratings copy-cat service?

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#165
post #45

I don't see how after the FTC came up empty the DOJ would fare any better as arguable the sherman act is a much tougher route, and the competition landscape has changed to google's detriment (amazon ads, facebook, etc). Anyway the article is quite scarce and the source is the WSJ so they might be trying to amplify some stuff or even advocate for it.

The FTC backed off because the administration at the time (2012-2013) were friendly with Google.

Don't forget that social media, FB & GOOG helped elect the administration at the time.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#166
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you post a screenshot of this popup? Never seen it in years of Firefox use and lots of Google searching. Maybe one of my plugins blocks it.

Here's a screenshot from Edge. https://i.imgur.com/iwymopx.png Sometimes it's in a new top bar on the page but cannot remember if that's only on Gmail.

> Hide annoying ads and protect against malware on the web

Damn, that is some duplicitous ad copy, especially in light of recent events.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#167
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AMP is just the start. I won't be surprised if we find out Google is promoting websites for using Google Analytics.

No, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLmO1GE4GvI > search quality in general does not use Google Analytics in ranking > it won't affect your ranking

Do you actually believe them? I don't.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#169

Relevant tweet from a Yelp SVP, who propagated many allegations of anticompetitive behavior in Google Search: > :) https://twitter.com/lutherlowe/status/1134621790720995328

Happy emoji faces coming from a company whose business model is basically extortion. Nice.

Re: Justice Department Is Preparing Antitrust Investigation of Google

#170
post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given that this amazingly nameless "white house advisor"and title is clear spin for their narrative in the same way the "top competition counsel" thing is (and proven wrong by totally trivial fact checking), do you have evidence or anything to back up that this was not a standard meeting?

Do you think you might have a conflict of interest here?

If he cites factual information and gives reasonable arguments, what's the difference?
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