Google gives publishers new content ‘Showcase’ on News, Search, Discover
There are no ad or ranking implications, but Showcase News features will be coming to Search and the Discover feed.
Topic: Competition law
DuckDuckGo: Google’s mobile share would drop 20% with new search choice screen
The finding was based on user testing and an eye tracking study.
Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook set to preview antitrust defenses before Congress
Sure to be a marathon, the hearings could be dramatic or incredibly dull.
To beat Amazon, Google needs to be more than the ‘Bing of e-commerce’
The elements are there, now all Google needs is near flawless execution.
UK court to Google: Expose algorithm or withdraw key piece of defense evidence
Litigant Foundem has retained an SEO as an expert and wants him to review confidential docs Google submitted in its defense.
French regulator fines Google $166 million for ‘brutal’ ad suspensions
Google says it was protecting the French public from deceptive websites.
More EU antitrust heat for Google (and Facebook) over data collection
In a separate matter, 41 shopping comparison sites want the European Commission to further penalize Google in shopping search.
Google’s Q3 ad revenue growth propelled by mobile search, YouTube
Ad revenues were $33.9 billion in the third quarter of 2019.
Nearly 50 states’ attorneys general join in antitrust investigation of Google
Facebook is also being investigated in another multistate action lead by New York.
FTC: Breaking up Google, Facebook to restore competition on the table
We're a long way away from that, but a rhetorical Rubicon has been crossed.
Ecosia says it will boycott ‘search choice’ auction on Android in Europe
Will other European search engines also reject Google's antitrust remedy?
Reports: Google, Amazon to face new antitrust inquiries in changed political climate
Reportedly the DOJ will investigate Google and the FTC will take on Amazon.
Google fined another $1.7 billion by EU for ‘abusive’ AdSense publisher contracts
Google has now been fined a cumulative total of roughly $9.3 billion and there's one more potential case lurking.
Report: EU antitrust unit exploring broader local search complaint against Google
The focus now moves to travel, hotels and restaurants.
EU: Google shopping search reforms working
EU Commissioner Vestager gave qualified approval to the changes put in place.
Yelp asks Europe to take new antitrust action against Google
Complaint to European Commission applies the logic of the Shopping Search case to local search.
Europeans again raise the specter of breaking up Google
More of a bargaining position, it's extremely unlikely to actually happen.
Google’s antitrust infringement continues ‘unabated’, Google Shopping competitors tell European Commission
Four months in, 19 rivals say too little has changed.
EU slaps Google with $2.7B antitrust fine for favoring its own content in search results
The fine is much larger than expected and sets a worrying precedent for the company as it faces future cases.
EU ready to fine Google billions in shopping search antitrust case [Report]
In one of three active cases, the company faces potential fines of up to $9 billion.
Yelp, TripAdvisor: Google’s mobile ‘best-of lists’ hide our content
Google is adding content for users on the go, but some local search rivals see the move intentionally marginalizing their content.
FTC sues 1-800 Contacts over reciprocal, ‘anti-competitive’ PPC bidding agreements
Bidding agreements prevented 1-800 Contacts and its rivals from bidding on each other's trademarked terms.
Streetmap Loses Anti-Competitive Lawsuit Against Google In UK
Streetmap had sued on grounds that putting Google Maps at the top of search results was an “abuse of competition."
Europe Turns Antitrust Attention To Google Maps For Android
The antitrust investigation (or enforcement action) against Google in Europe is currently focused on shopping search. There’s an earlier stage, but parallel investigation of Android is now taking off. Comments from regulators and European politicians suggest there’s a potentially long road ahead for Google and many investigations to come. Indeed, a more formal local search […]
Yahoo & Google Together Again In New Search Deal
Three-year deal to put Google's results and ads into some of Yahoo's search results needs US Department of Justice approval and still might get vetoed by India or EU action.
Study By Former FTC Advisor Tim Wu Claims Google Local Search Results Violate Competition Laws
Sponsored by Yelp, the study found users were more likely to click on merit-based results over Google's self-promoted content.
Report: EU Preparing To File Formal Antitrust Charges Against Google
Company could face billions in potential fines, up to 10 percent of revenue.
Spanish Newspapers Want Government To Force Google To Keep News Open In Spain
A new effort by the Spanish Newspaper Publishers Association (AEDE) to prevent Google from shutting down its News site in Spain is an amazing example of industry chutzpah or hubris. The action shows so much chutzpah in fact that it enters the realm of unintentional political satire. First the background if you don’t already know […]
Europeans Have Authority To Seek Google Break Up Though Unlikely To Do So
Break Google up. That’s the thrust of a “non-binding” resolution the European Parliament is expected to adopt at some point in the near future, according to a report on Friday from Reuters. The recommendation is likely to be to separate Google’s search engine from the rest of the business. Needless to say, if this were to come to pass it […]
EU Antitrust Endgame Looking More Murky, Risky For Google
The Wall Street Journal added more color to the unfolding story of the collapse of the Google-European Commission antitrust settlement. Notwithstanding denials by outgoing competition czar Joaquín Almunia, it’s clear that pressure from major European publishers, rivals and politicians undermined the deal. We’re in something of a “now what?” moment. If a settlement cannot be […]
Publishers To EC: We Want More From Google Or We’ll Sue
As we discussed last week, the current Europe-Google antitrust settlement is dead. This is a surprising turn of events considering that it was once described by European regulators as essentially a done deal. Outgoing European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia confirmed last week in a talk at Georgetown University that a deal could not be finalized before he leaves office in a […]
Yelp Joins Effort To Undo Current Google-EU Antitrust Settlement
Yelp has been an increasingly vocal critic of Google for several years. Now it has joined a group of companies opposing the European Commission’s current antitrust settlement proposal with Google. Originally Google and Yelp were partners. Google unsuccessfully tried to buy Yelp for a rumored $500 million a year or so before the company went […]
Google Comparison Ads Under Fire In UK
The UK financial services industry regulator Financial Conduct Authority is taking a closer look at Google Comparison Ads. UK price comparison sites have complained that Google is unfairly competing with them by placing its own “product” at the top of search results. Comparison Ads, which operate on a CPA basis, are one form of AdWords. Below […]
Wow! See How Much Screen Real Estate Google Is Giving Rivals In Its EU Antitrust Settlement
Google’s finally reached a proposed agreement with the European Union over antitrust charges. Judging from screenshots the EU has released, it will give Google rivals unprecedented positioning in Google’s results, sometimes for free, sometimes for a fee. Consider how the EU is saying that shopping results will appear, as part of the agreement. The before: […]
It’s Done: Google Settles Search Antitrust Case In Europe
Roughly a year after Google settled an antitrust investigation with the US Federal Trade Commission, Bloomberg is reporting that Google and the European Commission have reached a final settlement that would end the regulator’s antitrust search investigation against the company. According to the report, “Google will escape fines or any finding by regulators that it […]
Google To Get EU “Watchdog” As Part Of Antitrust Settlement
The New York Times is reporting that as part of the anticipated antitrust settlement in Europe Google is likely to be subject to a “watchdog” overseer. This role is explained in a “96-page [job] description” according to the paper: Among the details of the job: The title is monitoring trustee. And although the salary remains […]
Dear Google Rivals: Do These New Proposals Solve Your Antitrust Concerns? Love, The EU
Three years into its investigation of Google over antitrust issues relating to search, the European Union took another step closer toward a likely resolution, asking Google rivals and other third-parties to review a settlement proposal. Notably, the general public wasn’t invited to participate. The news comes via several reports today. The European Union’s Competition agency posted […]
The Double Serving Myth: When One Company Monopolizes PPC Ad Results
The search engines double serving policies aren't so straightforward.
New Google Antitrust Offer A “Significant Improvement” Says EU
After Google’s competitors loudly complained about the company’s antitrust settlement proposal, which displayed three “rival links” to alternative’ search results, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said it would take new “concessions” for Google to successfully settle its antitrust case with Europe. Google has now reportedly made those concessions. Almunia characterized Google’s updated settlement offer, submitted last […]
EU Says More Google “Concessions” Needed Before Antitrust Settlement
The vigorous lobbying efforts of Google critics FairSearch.org and Foundem’s SearchNeutrality.org seem to be paying off. Earlier today EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told members of the European Parliament that additional “concessions” would probably be required of Google to settle the antitrust investigation against the company and avoid litigation and potential financial penalties. According to […]