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DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

theverge.com

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Re: DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

#11

Post by JimDabell »

branon wrote: post #4

Who do you sell _Google_ Chrome to? This seems ill-advised. Who could possibly run it? Oracle? Broadcom? Is Elon Musk going to buy it and then we'll have X Browser? None of these options seem likely to create anything better than what we have now. On the upshot, Firefox is going to see a resurgence. Hey, maybe Mozilla buys it?

> Other remedies the government is asking the court to impose include prohibiting Google from offering money or anything of value to third parties — including Apple and other phone-makers — to make Google’s search engine the default

If this happens, Mozilla is going to be fighting for survival, it’s not going to be in a position to make acquisitions.

Re: DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

#13

Post by mmcdermott »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #3
thisislife2 wrote: post #2

Why just Chrome? Why Not Android too?

I think the filing says Android too, not sure why the focus is on Chrome.

I didn't read the actual filing, but the linked article days that Android is excluded, but implies it could be included later:

> While the government isn’t going as far as to demand Google spin out its Android business, it’s leaving the option open.

Re: DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

#14

Post by cm2012 »

Surprised this didn't reach the top of HN earlier.

This is outrageous from the DOJ, hopefully Google can appeal. Given how the Google ecosystem works together, I don't see how this doesn't hurt consumers in the end.

It's a huge blow to open source in practice. It means the government doesn't accept the business strategy of making excellent open source software as a complement to main business aims.

Re: DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

#17

Post by abirch »

cm2012 wrote: post #14

Surprised this didn't reach the top of HN earlier. This is outrageous from the DOJ, hopefully Google can appeal. Given how the Google ecosystem works together, I don't see how this doesn't hurt consumers in the end. It's a huge blow to open source in practice. It means the government doesn't accept the business strategy of making excellent open source software as a complement to main business aims.

It'd be crazy if Microsoft purchased Chrome? The DOJ should be ashamed.

Re: DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly

#20

Post by antisthenes »

lawrenceyan wrote: post #18

Never understood why the government seems to have such a hard-on against Google. Somehow, Apple / Microsoft / Amazon / … skate by without getting the same beat-down.

Probably because the entire world gets its information through Chrome, and since Chrome is becoming increasingly anti adblock, the danger is that billions of people will now be force fed ads.

Besides, plenty of governments had similar hard-ons against MS & IE in the early 2000s, people just have very short memories in the digital age.

> Apple / Microsoft / Amazon / … skate by without getting the same beat-down.

Their time will come. Defending something bad by pointing at others and saying they are also doing it is typically low-effort reactionism.

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