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[Resident_UA]

I like Google and think they are doing a lot of smart things, but it has to split now because it might be too late if we wait...

(Did you know that if you make a hotel reservation and receive confirmation on google mail goodle maps will show the dates for the reservation right on the map if you search for the hotel? That was convenient, but it really freaked me out)

 

[iamblades]

Good. One of the best things about EU is that it actually cares about citizens and small companies, instead of just throwing everything at big corporations' feet.

You are making the mistake that the EU is on the side of consumers in this issue. In reality they are on the size of other large corporations want a piece of the pie.

I don't even know how you would split up Google in any meaningful way, their entire business is web search and their other products and services are only extensions of search, and they will still dominate search if you make them sell of Youtube or whatever pointless thing you make them do.

At this point in time, the convenience factor of having all your web services under one umbrella more than outweighs any monopolistic practices they have shown so far. In the future it is entirely possible the become a monopolistic behemoth bent on world domination, but I don't think it's fair to punish them for something they MAY do, especially when the majority of the entities pleading for the punishment are the companies who compete with them.

 

[perfectchaos007]

google has a lot of good will going right now. google fiber is well received, and google is putting a lot of its revenue towards humanitarian causes etc. ( right now they are matching X 2 your donations fighting ebola )

Its almost like you guys are afraid once they eliminate competition and become the main player in technology, research, and data that they will one day flip the switch and force unreasonable regulations on their customers, and the customers will have no choice but to accept.

 

[TCRS]

lol european parliament fuck off.

 

[SRG01]

Oh EU, when have your policies ever been effective? Your heart is in the right place, but your solutions are the worst.

 

[WaffleTaco]

Uhm...isn't that why people use google in the first place? Because it is the easiest to use and has the best results. Splitting up a search engine sounds like a terrible idea and thus make it even harder to find information...unless I'm confused?

 

[John Kowalski]

How does splitting off the search engine from the rest of Google affect the monopoly the search engine has?

Things don't work like that on the Internet.

It's not about the monopoly of the search engine, it's the monopoly Google has as a whole.

 

[Wiktor]

Couldn't they just leave, though? That seems like it would be a better alternative than getting broken up.

They would propably just create separate company solely for european version, while the rest of the world would operate like it always had. It's not like EU can do anything outside it's own countries.

 

[Resident_UA]

Uhm...isn't that why people use google in the first place? Because it is the easiest to use and has the best results. Splitting up a search engine sounds like a terrible idea and thus make it even harder to find information...unless I'm confused?

It's not just a search engine anymore... It's way bigger than that.

 

[deltatheta]

I wonder if Apple would have been successful in their stated goal of killing Android through patent litigation if Google had been a little smaller.

If you want to break up huge companies, fine, but it's not smart to pick and choose which big companies you're breaking up.

 

[ISOM]

And? We should care because? It will still be the best search engine if it's separated from the rest of the google. Heck, it's likely to be even better one.

So why should they have to split exactly? The reason makes no sense. People choose google, the monopoly argument is not a very logical one here.

 

[gcubed]

again, whats it going to accomplish? I'm curious...

If you are worried about Google Search giving other ventures in google a better leg up, well, Google, Inc will just pay Google Search for premium locations

 

[Valnen]

It's not about the monopoly of the search engine, it's the monopoly Google has as a whole.

Monopoly on what, exactly? Certainly not phones with how popular Apple's offerings are...

 

[AbsolutBro]

Oh. Euros jelly. Nevermind.

Yup. EU just doing what they usually do: demand the world is global for the EU while doing everything it can to stifle competition for its member states' own interests.

 

[SimleuqiR]

I don't get it, the search engine would be split off into another google company? Google isn't the only search engine and no one forces people to use them.

And? We should care because? It will still be the best search engine if it's separated from the rest of the google. Heck, it's likely to be even better one.

Would you feel more secure about your data if Microsoft and Yahoo had a bigger share of the market? What exactly is the alternative you are expecting?

This is what I mean.
Even if you spin-off Google "Search" and Google can't use the data from search with it's other branches, it will not stop them from trying to dominate in many other aspects of the tech world.

Android is what it is because Google had brilliant people behind it and keeps pushing the envelope.

But not everything "Google" is a success; Google+ has not been able to de-throne Facebook. Far from it.

 

[Wiktor]

Uhm...isn't that why people use google in the first place? Because it is the easiest to use and has the best results. Splitting up a search engine sounds like a terrible idea and thus make it even harder to find information...unless I'm confused?

You are confused. The search engine would stay exactly like the same, it would actually become better and more accurate in the process. They don't want to split the search engine itself, just split the search engine from other parts of the company. This way if Google wants to win in new market they will have to do it on the strenght of their own product, not by making the competition unfair by leveraging their search monopoly.

Plus as separate european search company, located solely in EU, it would be a lot easier to stop the data from leakin outside of EU

 

[perfectchaos007]

EU: "Lets all use a search engine other than Google, because that american company is getting too big"

Everyone else: " I agree.......you first"

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Such a bizarre situation.
On one hand, Google almost certainly has a monopoly. On the other hand, they aren't engaging in anything anti-competition as far as I know and their status is more due to them providing the best product on the market.
I question whether breaking up Google would actually provide a benefit to consumers.

 

[ICKE]

Yup. EU just doing what they usually do: demand the world is global for the EU while doing everything it can to stifle competition for its member states' own interests.

Don't you understand that monopoly power is what stifles competition, hurts small business owners and citizens. If globalism means that we should all have a race to the bottom and let these ever increasing corporations use our world as their little plaything then count me the fuck out.

I am glad that at least some people in the European parliament are looking at the big picture and understand the risks.

 

[Wiktor]

This is what I mean.
, it will not stop them from trying to dominate in many other aspects of the tech world.
.

Sure, but they would have to dominating it solely based on the strenght of the product they have in that segment of the tech world.

 

[neogaffer1]

This is what I mean.
Even if you spin-off Google "Search" and Google can't use the data from search with it's other branches, it will not stop them from trying to dominate in many other aspects of the tech world.

Android is what it is because Google had brilliant people behind it and keeps pushing the envelope.

But not everything "Google" is a success; Google+ has not been able to de-throne Facebook. Far from it.

Even then, what's stopping Google Search from paying Google, Inc. to have that data? Google, Inc. will run the ad-side business, right? Then all of Search's money would come from Google, Inc. so Google will just end up being two separate entities, with the smaller one dependent on the bigger one. Nothing would really change other than Google's hierarchy getting messed up.

 

[Resident_UA]

Its almost like you guys are afraid once they eliminate competition and become the main player in technology, research, and data that they will one day flip the switch and force unreasonable regulations on their customers, and the customers will have no choice but to accept.

You are being sarcastic? That could easily happen. Not today, not tomorrow, but definitely sometime in the future. Sure right now people in charge of google are reasonable, but if you get somebody with less than good character at the top you can get a lot of damage done really quickly...

 

[Spaced Harrier]

Come on Google should never have been allowed to force joining YouTube and Google accounts.

Why can't I use Google search or YouTube without being logged in, if I'm also using mail.

These were all separate services when I signed up. YouTube wasn't even Google's.

And then the idea they were buying twitch, MS's antitrust was for far less.

 

[Valnen]

Sure, but they would have to dominating it solely based on the strenght of the product they have in that segment of the tech world.

That's not Google's fault. If they're not doing anything illegal it isn't any government's business.

 

[injurai]

Such a bizarre situation.
On one hand, Google almost certainly has a monopoly. On the other hand, they aren't engaging in anything anti-competition as far as I know and their status is more due to them providing the best product on the market.
I question whether breaking up Google would actually provide a benefit to consumers.

Break up the ISPs first and reignite that industry. That's one less thing for Google to swoop down into and be the best at.

So many more malicious monopoly's and co-habiting duopolies exist that need to be outed.

 

[GK86]

European politicians have grown increasingly concerned about Google's and other American companies' command of the Internet industry

Go build your own internet and leave Google alone.

 

[Yoda]

Uhm...isn't that why people use google in the first place? Because it is the easiest to use and has the best results. Splitting up a search engine sounds like a terrible idea and thus make it even harder to find information...unless I'm confused?

I imagine their argument goes something along the lines that there is no room for a competitor no matter how well funded to even attempt to get into the "search-industry market". However the actual reason they want to do this is because they don't have many home-grown tech giants. How many European founded tech companies can you name off the top of your head? Now how many U.S. founded tech companies can you name off the top of your head? It's a staggering difference for me and I imagine it is for most people. Given that we are past the "tech is a bubblelololol" and most people accept it will be a driving market force in the future, most governing bodies obviously want a piece of the pie.

The EU relies more of "tech imports" than the U.S. or China. Clearly they want to at least trend this predicament in the other direction and they feel this is one way of doing that. Also to those it concerns they can't actually break up Google in the U.S. The most they could do is force them to create a subsidary that has a majority controlling stake owned by some European conglomerate... Which in all likelyhood would just listen to whatever the guys in Cali tell them to do anyway.

 

[RedShift]

Couldn't they just leave, though? That seems like it would be a better alternative than getting broken up.

They can't just leave the largest economy in the world really.

What's so terrible about it getting broken up? I don't see the tragedy if different parts of Google were separate entities. Maybe I've seen too many science fiction movies but giant tech companies that have fingers in every pie and a load of monopolies don't really appeal to me.

 

[ISOM]

You are being sarcastic? That could easily happen. Not today, not tomorrow, but definitely sometime in the future. Sure right now people in charge of google are reasonable, but if you get somebody with less than good character at the top you can get a lot of damage done really quickly...

Uh what could Google actually do that would be nefarious and have people unable to change to another service? The good thing about an internet "monopoly" versus other industry monopolies is that another choice is always around the corner because of how easy it is for competitors to enter the market. If Google does something the consumer doesn't like they can go to apple, microsoft, yahoo or even smaller companies.

 

[Wiktor]

That's not Google's fault. If they're not doing anything illegal it isn't any government's business.

Well..EU can decide it to be illegal, so it will become the goverment's business then.

 

[Enduin]

Google is a giant, not a monopoly. I don't really see the net benefit for consumers in breaking the company up. If they started do seriously shitty stuff to stifle competition and corner the market like Monopolies of old did then yeah they might need to be taken down a peg or two, but as it stands nothing is stopping other tech companies, big or small from usurping Google. That's kind of a big thing with the internet and tech world in general. One good idea that's well executed can introduce a sea change in the industry.

 

[War Peaceman]

Uhm...isn't that why people use google in the first place? Because it is the easiest to use and has the best results. Splitting up a search engine sounds like a terrible idea and thus make it even harder to find information...unless I'm confused?

Honestly I think people use google because it is the default, eponymous internet search tool.

Whether or not it is the best product isn't relevant anymore, in the majority of cases.

Monopolies are dangerous and it is great that the EU is interested in challenging this.

 

[Zoned]

It's not just a search engine anymore... It's way bigger than that.

More convenient than ever.

 

[Suite Pee]

I agree with limiting Google's power, but their reasoning is shoddy.

 

[Cagey]

Yup. EU just doing what they usually do: demand the world is global for the EU while doing everything it can to stifle competition for its member states' own interests.

Protectionism via extortion through fines and overreach in regulation. Ain't that somethin.

What happened to the good old days of the EU getting pissy that people called champagne champagne when it didn't come from Champagne.

 

[neogaffer1]

Don't you understand that monopoly power is what stifles competition, hurts small business owners and citizens. If globalism means that we should all have a race to the bottom and let these ever increasing corporations use the world as their little plaything then count me the fuck out.

I am glad that at least some people in the European parliament are looking at the big picture.

Yes, small business owners that own their own search engines..oh wait. Competition is stifled, sure, but that's because everybody else sucks in their offerings. Citizens don't get hurt at all, in fact Google's made their offerings better for consumers over time. As for the corporations using "the world as their little plaything"...? I don't understand what you're upset about.

 

[Wafflecakes]

No thanks.

 

[cartesian]

Oh. Euros jelly. Nevermind.

Oh fuck off.

Go build your own internet and leave Google alone.

I wish Reuters had chosen different words, because this isn't really the 'EU vs America' thing that some seem to believe.

The EU takes a consistently hard line against "anti-competitive practices" - given American dominance of the tech sector, it's only inevitable that some American firms will end up becoming involved in EU monopoly disputes. The EU famously tussled with Microsoft over the dominance of Internet Explorer, for example. But it's not specifically about curbing American influence. The EU is equally quick to clamp down on anti-competitive practices at home, especially when national governments give 'illegal state aid' to their own national enterprises in an effort to expand their share of a market. There are plenty of people who don't like EU law for one reason or another, but I think most would agree that it is applied reasonably consistently.

This story here is simply another potential development in the EU's continuing investigation into Google's domination of the search market, prompted by complaints of anti-competitive behaviour. I have no idea what the EU's final decision will be, and I'm certainly not gonna predict it'll be an effective or worthwhile one as the EU has made plenty of decisions I disagree with, but nevertheless I think the EU has very valid reasons for investigating Google:

In 2011, some smaller specialized search companies complained that Google moved them down in search results so that users wouldn't easily be able to find them. Microsoft also complained that Google had done things like make it hard for Bing to search Google's YouTube, and blocked advertisers from accessing data. The EU has been investigating on and off ever since.

The parliament doesn't have the power to order Google to split up on its own, but could pressure antitrust regulators, who have been investigating Google for more than three years now. The concern is that Google uses its search dominance to squeeze out search results that would guide people to potential competitors.

 

[SimleuqiR]

Break up the ISPs first and reignite that industry. That's one less thing for Google to swoop down into and be the best at.

So many more malicious monopoly's and co-habiting duopolies exist that need to be outed.

If Government in the USA doesn't wake up (or doesn't stop taking monies from Cable-Town), Google will probably become the best ISP in the states. Sure it may take a few decades, but you bet your ass Google has a long game.

 

[Joni]

It is an interesting proposition and it might be better for some Google parts to be split off from others. I don't know if I'd like it, but the monopoly power of a couple of companies is a major threat to net neutrality.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Has Google gotten as large as they have due to actively preventing companies from competing and offering products? Or is it because Google just put out a better product and people flocked to it? I think this is a huge difference.

Google was relatively late to the search engine game. Other products were shit and they won over consumers. Seems to be a weird punishment for putting out a better product.

Why can't other search providers just improve their products?

Edit: And if Google has done some shady practices, then sure look at them for anti-trust issues. No problem with that.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Go build your own internet and leave Google alone.

The internet is for everyone everywhere, but when it comes down to it, Americans were the inventors of the Internet so if they want to cut themselves off they are free to make an EU only internet.

 

[Valnen]

Well..EU can decide it to be illegal, so it will become the goverment's business then.

What practices exactly would they decide are illegal and why? Not sucking? What a joke this all is. I can't take this seriously at all.

 

[RedShift]

Go build your own internet and leave Google alone.

These comments are dumb and all, but... the world wide web was invented at CERN.

 

[PeskyToaster]

An odd reward for being the best. It's only when they use the monopoly to be worse that it's a problem. This hasn't happened yet. Just release the weird search data of the parliament members.

 

[Wiktor]

What practices exactly would they decide are illegal and why? Not sucking? What a joke this all is. I can't take this seriously at all.

This isn't criminal law. EU has plenty of laws that are aimed at making the market more fair for both custmers and other companies. Those rules are constantly expanded and modified. I don't see why Google should be the one exception from that. If EU goverments decide that something is beneficial for EU they will just implement the laws and breaking them will be illegal.

 

[Joni]

Google was relatively late to the search engine game. Other products were shit and they won over consumers. Seems to be a weird punishment for putting out a better product.

Were they? Google launched in 1997, just before the actual boom of search engines.

The internet is for everyone everywhere, but when it comes down to it, Americans were the inventors of the Internet so if they want to cut themselves off they are free to make an EU only internet.

Europeans invented the World Wide Web. You are allowed to use our web.

 

[John Kowalski]

Monopoly on what, exactly? Certainly not phones with how popular Apple's offerings are...

From what i understand, what they want is to separate Google's monopoly on search from it's other commercial services so that the "web search monopoly" becomes increasingly inert, thus making sure that all the commercial services Google has (such as GMail, Maps, Docs, Drive, etc.) don't benefit from its homogeneous presence in web searching so much that the market becomes unfairly skewed in their favour.

 

[faridmon]

There is a reason why they are dominant in the engine business. Because it works so flawless. Why the hate?

 

[Maintenance]

Nah, thanks. I appreciate the feeling, though.