narrow portion of Google’s ad business in which
Google sells ads next to Google search results
on third-party websites. It involves practices
the company says it already ended, and the
amount is just a fraction of the $31 billion in
profit that its parent, conglomerate Alphabet
Inc., made last year.
SEARCH RESULTS
Google’s search engine handles two out of every
three queries in the U.S. European regulators
have found that Google manipulated its search
engine to gain an unfair advantage over
other online shopping sites in the lucrative
e-commerce market, fining the company $2.8
billion. Google disputes those findings and is still
appealing the 2017 decision.
The FTC staff report released after the
agency’s investigation showed that the staff
legal recommendations rejected by the
commissioners involved allegations of Google
tinkering with its search results in a way that
stifled competition.
Lawmakers from both parties appear
determined to examine whether Google rigs
its search results to also promote its own
political agenda.
ANDROID ANTICS
Another huge antitrust fine from the European
overseers, $5 billion, came against Google in July
2018 for a finding that it abused the dominance
of its Android operating system by forcing
handset and tablet makers to install Google
apps, reducing consumer choice.
The company appealed the ruling and also
made changes to avoid additional fines. It