Latest news with #onlineSearch
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UK aims to tackle Google dominance of online search
Britain's competition watchdog on Tuesday proposed measures aimed at tackling Google's dominance in online search, with the US tech giant warning that "punitive regulations" could impact UK economic growth. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it proposes to designate Google with "strategic market status", subjecting it to special requirements under new UK regulations. A similar tech competition law from the European Union, the Digital Markets Act, carries the potential for hefty financial penalities. Britain's CMA in January launched an investigation into Google's dominant position in the search engine market and its impacts on consumers and businesses. It followed the 2025 implementation of Britain's Digital Markets Competition Regime, which the regulator on Tuesday said "can help unlock opportunities for innovation and growth". Google's spokesman on competition, Oliver Bethell, warned that the CMA update, preceding a final outcome due in October, "could have significant implications for businesses and consumers in the UK". "The positive impact of Google Search on the UK is undeniable. Our tools and services contribute billions of pounds (dollars) a year to the UK," he added in a statement. While noting that "Google Search has delivered tremendous benefits", CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said "there are ways to make these markets more open, competitive and innovative". The regulator said that it plans to consult on potential changes, including "ensuring people can easily choose and switch between search services -- including potentially AI assistants -- by making default choice screens a legal requirement". Another proposal is for "ensuring Google's ranking and presentation of search results is fair and non-discriminatory". Bethell expressed concern that "the scope of the CMA's considerations remains broad and unfocused, with a range of interventions being considered before any evidence has been provided". The CMA noted that "Google Search accounts for more than 90 percent" of online enquiries in the UK. It added that more than 200,000 businesses in the UK rely on Google search advertising to reach customers. bcp/har/lth Sign in to access your portfolio
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Google taps top Obama Supreme Court lawyer for search antitrust appeal
June 3 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab has hired Donald Verrilli Jr, the U.S. solicitor general during the Barack Obama administration, to appeal a judge's ruling that the tech titan has an unlawful monopoly in online search, Google confirmed on Tuesday. Verrilli's hire is a key first step in Google's legal fight to undo the ruling, which it has said could pose a threat to its business. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta last year ruled Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search and related advertising, and is considering proposals to make the tech titan sell off its popular Chrome browser, or share data that CEO Sundar Pichai says would allow competitors reverse engineer its search engine. Google has argued the DOJ failed to prove that competition was harmed by its exclusive agreements with device makers such as Apple to preload Google as the default search engine on new devices. The company has recently begun loosening its agreements to allow partners including Samsung to load rival apps. Verrilli, who as solicitor general was the Obama White House's top Supreme Court advocate, is known for his work successfully defending the Democratic president's signature domestic healthcare law. He will represent Google in its planned appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where Democratic-appointed judges outnumber Republican ones 9 to 6. Verrilli is separately the lead lawyer for law firm Susman Godfrey in its lawsuit against the Trump administration over an executive order that restricted its business. A judge in April blocked key provisions of the order. Verrilli is representing hundreds of other firms that filed a court brief denouncing Republican President Donald Trump's attacks on prominent law firms. He is also representing U.S. Copyright Office Director Shira Perlmutter in a lawsuit challenging her firing, and the National Endowment for Democracy in a case accusing the Trump administration of illegally withholding funds. Verrilli's firm Munger Tolles has represented Google in other lawsuits. The firm, whose founders include the late Charlie Munger, has counted Berkshire Hathaway and Bank of America as some of its other clients.
Asharq Al-Awsat
31-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Google Says it Will Appeal Online Search Antitrust Decision
Alphabet's Google on Saturday said it will appeal an antitrust decision under which a federal judge proposed less aggressive ways to restore online search competition than the 10-year regime suggested by antitrust enforcers. "We will wait for the Court's opinion. And we still strongly believe the Court's original decision was wrong, and look forward to our eventual appeal," Google said in a post on X. US District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard closing arguments on Friday at a trial on proposals to address Google's illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising. In April, a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the US Department of Justice saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange. The DOJ and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices. Antitrust enforcers are concerned about how Google's search monopoly gives it an advantage in artificial intelligence products like Gemini and vice versa. John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said at the hearing that while generative AI is influencing how search looks, Google has addressed any concerns about competition in AI by no longer entering exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics, leaving them free to load rival search and AI apps on new devices.
CNA
31-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Google says it will appeal online search antitrust decision
Alphabet's Google on Saturday said it will appeal an antitrust decision under which a federal judge proposed less aggressive ways to restore online search competition than the 10-year regime suggested by antitrust enforcers "We will wait for the Court's opinion. And we still strongly believe the Court's original decision was wrong, and look forward to our eventual appeal," Google said in a post on X. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard closing arguments on Friday at a trial on proposals to address Google's illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising. In April, a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the U.S. Department of Justice saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange. The DOJ and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices. Antitrust enforcers are concerned about how Google's search monopoly gives it an advantage in artificial intelligence products like Gemini and vice versa. John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said at the hearing that while generative AI is influencing how search looks, Google has addressed any concerns about competition in AI by no longer entering exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics, leaving them free to load rival search and AI apps on new devices.
Reuters
31-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Google says it will appeal online search antitrust decision
May 31 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab on Saturday said it will appeal an antitrust decision under which a federal judge proposed less aggressive ways to restore online search competition than the 10-year regime suggested by antitrust enforcers "We will wait for the Court's opinion. And we still strongly believe the Court's original decision was wrong, and look forward to our eventual appeal," Google said in a post on X, opens new tab. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard closing arguments on Friday at a trial on proposals to address Google's illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising. In April, a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the U.S. Department of Justice saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange. The DOJ and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices. Antitrust enforcers are concerned about how Google's search monopoly gives it an advantage in artificial intelligence products like Gemini and vice versa. John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said at the hearing that while generative AI is influencing how search looks, Google has addressed any concerns about competition in AI by no longer entering exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics ( opens new tab, leaving them free to load rival search and AI apps on new devices.
