Critics

La mort d’ads: French Regulator Fines Google $166 Million For ‘Brutal’ Ad Suspensions

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According to the Wall Street Journal, France’s antitrust regulator has imposed a 150 million euro fine ($166.2 million) for arbitrarily suspending ads. Google says that the ads in question where “deceptive.” The French antitrust authority, who is claiming “the power of life or death” over companies, has characterized the suspensions as “brutal and unjustified” and “random …

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Ecosia Says It Will Boycott ‘Search Choice’ Auction On Android In Europe

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Ecosia, the Berlin-based search engine, says that it won’t participate in Google’s “search-choice” auction for Android devices in 2020 in Europe. With this coming to light, will others follow? Earlier in August, Google announced that it will introduce a new “choice screen” in Europe for Android users in 2020. The screen will be displayed when setting …

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Reports: Google, Amazon Facing New Antitrust Inquiries In Changed Political Climate

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The FTC, after almost two years of investigation and intense lobbying, closed its antitrust investigation of Google in January 2013. Google was able to make some concessions, and even escaped significant penalties. At the time, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said, “The law protects competition, not competitors.” But from the moment the decision was made, critics …

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Class-Action Lawsuit Accuses Google Of Improperly Withholding Refunds For Ad Fraud

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Back in 2017, Google agreed to provide refunds to select advertisers using DoubleClick Bid Manager (it is now called Display & Video 360) where ads were served on sites that had fraudulent or invalid traffic. It was reported that hundreds of marketers were eligible. But, according according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), there was …

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Google Fined Another $1.7 Billion By EU For ‘Abusive’ AdSense Publisher Contracts

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Google is now facing their third significant antitrust fine in the EU.  This fine is penalizing Google for 1.49 billion euros ($1.69 billion) for “abusive practices in online advertising” involving publisher contracts surrounding AdSense for search. The fine “takes account of the duration and gravity of the infringement. . . . [and] has been calculated on the …

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Report: EU Antitrust Unit Exploring Broader Local Search Complaint Against Google

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The European Commission has been asking local search competitors in Europe whether the changes in Google’s algorithm, as well as their other practices, are hurting them, according to a questionnaire seen by Reuters. If the answer is “yes,” then that means that the EC could end up bringing a fourth antitrust against Google.  Two of …

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Google’s EU Shopping Comparison Rivals Say Their Situation Is Getting Worse

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In June, 2017 the European Commission (EC) fined Google roughly $2.7 billion for alleged abuse of market position in vertical (shopping) search.  After the decision was made, which Google is in the process of appealing, Google number of changes was implemented to provide “equal treatment” for rival Comparison Shopping Engines (CSEs) in Europe. About a month ago, Margreth Vestager, the …

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Google Appeals Record $5 Billion EU Antitrust Android Fine

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On October 9, Google filed an appeal of the European Commission’s (EC’s) record €4.3 billion (roughly $5 billion) antitrust fine, which was imposed in July because of Google Play app pre-install requirements. In the eyes of the EC, the practice of requiring handset makers to pre-install specific Google-made apps as was counted as “an abuse of market position.”  …

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EU Approves Controversial Copyright Directive Aimed At Google, Facebook, Twitter

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A highly restrictive copyright directive has been backed by the European Parliament that is intended to benefit traditional European news publishers and copyright holders at the possible expense of user-generated content and U.S. internet companies, such as Google.  Back in July, an early version of the directive was rejected. In order for the new rules to …

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Google Plans To Re-Enter China With Government-Approved Search App

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In a report found in The Intercept, Google will be formally re-entering the Chinese search market.  Reportedly, the search company will will offer censorship of keywords and topics deemed sensitive by the Chinese government, such as “human rights, democracy, religion, and peaceful protest.” It seems that the talks that took place between Google and Chinese officials have been …

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