Subj : Google may be forced to break up its search business
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Wed Oct 09 2024 14:45:05

Google may be forced to break up its search business

Date:
Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:32:33 +0000

Description:
The DOJ has already filed in court in a move that could also force Google to 
reveal the inner workings of its search result rankings and AI tools.

FULL STORY
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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has submitted a court filing to break up 
Alphabets Google search business on the grounds that its other consumer 
businesses give it an unfair advantage. 

In a 32-page filing to the US District Court in Washington D.C. (via 
Bloomberg ), the government agency said it, is considering behavioural and 
structural remedies that would prevent Google from using products such as 
Chrome, Play and Android to advantage Google search and Google search-related 
products and features - including emerging search access points and features, 
such as artificial intelligence - over rivals or new entrants. 

Its unclear as yet whether the DOJ will be successful, after failing to break 
up Microsoft over similar accusations of a web browser monopoly all the way 
back in 2001. In August 2024, the agency also sued Apple for creating a 
monopoly by suppressing third-party services, apps and wallets. US v Google 

The DoJ accuses Google of making its search engine the default on smartphones 
and a number of web browsers owing to its illegal distribution agreements 
with their operators. Given that Android is a popular Google-owned operating 
system, its easy to see how a conflict of interest may have developed. 

Google has described the filing as radical, though Id even stretch to 
tubular, based on how the DoJ also takes a dim view of Google leveraging its 
search engine to give prominence to Gemini, the name for its AI tool . It 
wants assurance that websites will be allowed more control over opting out of 
incorporating its AI products, and over where their ads appear on 
Google-owned services. 

Googles VP of Regulatory Affairs, Anne Mulholland wrote in a blog post that 
[Google believes] that todays blueprint goes well beyond the legal scope of 
the Courts decision about Search distribution contracts, and that the 
sweeping agenda will pose significant unintended consequences, businesses and 
American competitiveness. 

Yes, yes, God bless the American search engine industry, but its worth noting 
that the European Union has been gunning for a breakup of Google since 2023 
in a case that comes after a veritable slew of fines issued for data privacy 
breaches. And if Googles search breakup is beyond even the power of a bloc of 
states, the American government might not have any hope. Read more Google 
Photos is rolling out AI-powered search now  and it could be its biggest 
upgrade in years I've been using Google Search for 25 years and AI overview 
is the one thing that could ruin it for me Judge rules Google has illegal 
search monopoly and you might not like what comes next



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-may-be-forced-to-break-up-its-search-busi
ness


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