EU Setting Up for Another Record Fine on Google

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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After fining Google $2.7B (yeah BILLION) last month for leaning search results in its own favor when it came to shopping, the EU is now looking at coming at Google with the rest of its one-two punch according to Reuters. It seems that the EU now wants to go after Google for requiring smartphone makers to pre-install Google Search and Google Chrome in order to get access to other Google apps on their phones, and barring the phone builders from using "rival versions of Android." The EU is saying that Google also paid phone builders for Google-only phones as well.


The Commission had planned to establish a peer review panel, also known as a devil's advocate, in June, the people said. Such panels are usually made up of three to four experienced officials who examine the case team's conclusions with a fresh pair of eyes to ensure that the case is robust. It was not clear if the panel has started work yet.
 
Block all EU IP's.

That's a risky strategy.

What other alternatives are there? Even blackberry uses an altered version of android now. And Microsoft is out of the biz. And who the hell is going to try to sell a QNX phone?

EU Government: We need money so we will sue businesses to do what we want.

Hey didn't Venezuela try the same thing?
 
Hmm let's see. Google Chrome is the dominant browser on the dominant platform, and can't be removed because it magically breaks other things on the platform. Where have I heard this one before.....

Sadly it's true. You can't use Google docs, or spreadsheets without chrome. There's extensions built in to handle this stuff that only exist in chrome
 
That's a risky strategy.

What other alternatives are there? Even blackberry uses an altered version of android now. And Microsoft is out of the biz. And who the hell is going to try to sell a QNX phone?

EU Government: We need money so we will sue businesses to do what we want.

Hey didn't Venezuela try the same thing?

Requirements were that if you wanted to run Google apps, you need to run their version of Android, very understandable. No mention about Apple and it's totally locked down system. Google tries to give a somewhat open system with some options and gets shit on, others use fully locked down OSes and options and no one bats an eye.
 
I'd be fine with every company the EU sues to leave the EU.

Google, Microsoft, Apple....it'd be pretty damn funny.
 
I'd be fine with every company the EU sues to leave the EU.

Google, Microsoft, Apple....it'd be pretty damn funny.

Yep, their stocks would plummet into the ground to begin with and replacement companies would flourish. Just see what happened to Baidu when Google pulled out of China.
 
Hmm let's see. Google Chrome is the dominant browser on the dominant platform, and can't be removed because it magically breaks other things on the platform. Where have I heard this one before.....
If Google pays out how long before EU sues them again? How many other companies will be at risk of getting sued if google pays out? I'll take the risk leaving.
 
It really comes down to how much money does google make off the EU vs how much it pays in fines. There will be a point when it is in their best interest to leave because it will cost them to operate there. People every where are greedy and feel others owe them something.
 
If Google pays out how long before EU sues them again? How many other companies will be at risk of getting sued if google pays out? I'll take the risk leaving.

Well if Microsoft already had to pay out for the exact same thing, I don't think Google really has a choice. If the law of the continent they want to operate in says they need to do something, they need to comply. If they don't want to comply, then they can't rake in cash from that area.
 
Yep, their stocks would plummet into the ground to begin with and replacement companies would flourish. Just see what happened to Baidu when Google pulled out of China.

Ahh...so a $2.7B loss, not counting what they spent on legal fees, is acceptable? Their stocks would plummet? No...they're stocks are plummeting due to a $2.7B fine. How much will the next fine cost? Billions more? Is it worth staying in a market if all your profits are fined away?

Fuck the EU. If countries are smart they'll leave like GB did.
 
Ahh...so a $2.7B loss, not counting what they spent on legal fees, is acceptable? Their stocks would plummet? No...they're stocks are plummeting due to a $2.7B fine. How much will the next fine cost? Billions more? Is it worth staying in a market if all your profits are fined away?

Fuck the EU. If countries are smart they'll leave like GB did.

I bet you Google earned multiple times more due to it. If you dont know, big companies cheat on purpose if its worth it. The bean counters have already made the pros and cons. And way too often its profitable to take the fine.
 
Right...because clearly the EU has done a great job so far with all their policies?

As an EU citizen I am very happy yes. The alternative of nationalistic ideas and cold wars isn't appealing to me.

And as a consumer, I am enjoying great protection of my rights.
 
As an EU citizen I am very happy yes. The alternative of nationalistic ideas and cold wars isn't appealing to me.

Or the alternative of most of the countries prospering instead of there being widespread financial difficulty or hardships for nations, even some of the anchor nations? The EU policies have helped lead many nations to financial ruin.
 
Or the alternative of most of the countries prospering instead of there being widespread financial difficulty or hardships for nations, even some of the anchor nations? The EU policies have helped lead many nations to financial ruin.

Have it? The EU is doing a lot better than the US for example.

And how many US states are bankrupt or close to it? Tho they legally cant be declared bankrupt.
 
Have it? The EU is doing a lot better than the US for example.

And how many US states are bankrupt or close to it?

It is? Could have fooled me lol. There are many nations in Europe that would also completely disagree with you. That is why there is so much talk of EU exits these days, because the EU is doing great eh?
 
It is? Could have fooled me lol. There are many nations in Europe that would also completely disagree with you. That is why there is so much talk of EU exits these days, because the EU is doing great eh?

Oh yes the exits. What exists? Do you mean brexit?

Le Pen got 8 seats in the French parliament. EU love have flourished after brexit, because the alternative as we can see wasn't all roses. And EU skeptical parties are in steep decline since. UKIP also got destroyed in the UK at the last election.

A Texit or Calexit is more likely.
 
Oh yes the exits. What exists? Do you mean brexit?

Le Pen got 8 seats in the French parliament. EU love have flourished after brexit, because the alternative as we can see wasn't all roses. And EU skeptical parties are in steep decline since. UKIP also got destroyed in the UK at the last election.

A Texit or Calexit is more likely.

The fact that many nations are talking about it, including Spain, France, Italy, etc. If things were going so swimmingly in the EU, why are so many nations so pissed off at the EU?
 
As an EU citizen I am very happy yes. The alternative of nationalistic ideas and cold wars isn't appealing to me.

And as a consumer, I am enjoying great protection of my rights.
Yes at the cost of what 20% vat tax on top of your 20-50% income tax rate. How about paying 2 to 4 times what we pay for gas in the states. Actually that doesn't matter much cause most people in the EU are too poor to even afford their own car. Most at best have one per family. You can keep your shit EU. I prefer to live in a country that let you prosper if you put some effort into your quality of life.
 
I think it's pretty clear that the EU despises American companies.

Google does not see itself as an "American" company. They are above petty things like sovereign nations. They are a transnational as loyal to the Chinese as they are to the US.
 
Yes at the cost of what 20% vat tax on top of your 20-50% income tax rate. How about paying 2 to 4 times what we pay for gas in the states. Actually that doesn't matter much cause most people in the EU are too poor to even afford their own car. Most at best have one per family. You can keep your shit EU. I prefer to live in a country that let you prosper if you put some effort into your quality of life.

As someone who's spent years living in western Europe, I can say that while there are certainly many aspects I enjoyed, overall I find my quality of life to be higher in the US and am glad to be back here. For the same income, I can afford a much higher standard of living (and most jobs in Europe pay less, if you can find one with very high unemployment rates, despite much higher costs). However, if I were dependent on government benefits, I'd be better off in western Europe. Eastern Europe looks very promising these days though...low cost of living, rapidly expanding economies...and because of stunted economic growth for so many years under communist rule the place is dripping with beautiful historic buildings that were largely torn down in the richer west. Today, the New York Times today says Poland is expected to become the next economic power in Europe with a very healthy rate of growth....assuming the Russians don't get frisky.
 
Oh yes the exits. What exists? Do you mean brexit?

Le Pen got 8 seats in the French parliament. EU love have flourished after brexit, because the alternative as we can see wasn't all roses. And EU skeptical parties are in steep decline since. UKIP also got destroyed in the UK at the last election.

A Texit or Calexit is more likely.

I understand you're adjusting to the huge influx of migrants from the middle east quite well, with 80% of the arrivals unaccompanied males. Mass sexual assaults on local women down nearly 2% from last year. Keep up the good work, but please, keep it Halal.
 
Sadly it's true. You can't use Google docs, or spreadsheets without chrome. There's extensions built in to handle this stuff that only exist in chrome
i dont think anyone is saying you can....it was more to the point of Microsoft and IE several years back when they did the exact same thing.... with the same exact actions being taken in european courts. and the inability for companies to actually stop and think before they do idiotic things .... like step for step remakes of "how to get european courts pissed at you"
 
Maybe you should check how many EU companies have been fined too. One thing is certain, the whining is a lot greater when its an American company caught cheating.

Please, define your use of the word "cheating". If, "cheating", refers to their search engine results, you can see my response here.

As most see it, Google developed Android and laid the base for how apps are to be developed and deployed for their OS. Google paid a company to ensure its proven deployment packages are in place for optimal first time use. Google allows the customer to install other competing apps, even though some of those apps my not be compatible, either partially or fully) with Google's own set of productivity apps (not Google's problem). Google allows the removal of apps from its devices. The exception being those deemed necessary to maintain base functionality and those locked by the carrier.

The only "cheating" going on is by the EU commission's twisted logic used to explain their positions leading to billion Euro hauls (read as "extortion").

How many phone makers want to deal with developing their own competing apps or pay for licensing a plethora of others that can only bring a high level of dissatisfaction due to their lack of interoperability? Interoperability issues customers are not expecting or wanting to see. Interoperability issues, in the past, that has made manufacturers rethink their positions regarding including a base package of successfully interoperable applications that each customer can use and build upon (or not) as they wish--- provided by the company supplying the operating system? Many.

Android users have a great level of freedom that many in the marketplace either envy or fear, when you get out from under carrier lockdowns and THEIR useless preloaded bloatware you cannot remove. Example: I have an NFL app and a weather app preload by the carrier THEY won't let me remove. Google and Android will let me install and remove many other sports and weather related apps from the store...Google's store, Amazon's store, other third-party stores or by simply sideloading (try that on an iPhone out of the box). Yet, the carrier apps always remain.

You paid for your property. You may have paid to have your home built from the ground up and may have even paid for improvements or renovation work. You've spent time and energy making it work for you and those you hope to invite over. And while some people might have issues, you allow them to come and go freely, bring their own chairs, beverages or food, in order to accommodate them as much as possible without having to redesign your property, home and lifestyle, in an attempt to address every possible scenario.

I don't think you'd take kindly to being told you must now allow me access to your property and home, passing me rights to perform modifications (sanctioned or otherwise) to same and allow others in on that action, then being held responsible for any problems that may occur.

Why should Google or the manufacturers be an exception? Better yet, why should you?

So far, the EU's more recent rulings point to a closing of open competing global markets where customers choose the ultimate winners, in favor of a smaller more fragmented marketplace where customers are "protected" from making larger free choices the EU sees as inappropriate. Are EU citizens really that feeble and in need of this level of "consumer protection" or is it regional leaders pushing for a wall of cultural and industry isolation and protectionism?
 
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i dont think anyone is saying you can....it was more to the point of Microsoft and IE several years back when they did the exact same thing.... with the same exact actions being taken in european courts. and the inability for companies to actually stop and think before they do idiotic things .... like step for step remakes of "how to get european courts pissed at you"

It's funny how, even back then, customers could just as easily download a competing browser to use. It also didn't seem to be the competitor's problems that they built products either not as well liked or not as functional as those being provided with the OS. But, why even try to compete in a traditional manner? Right?!
 
Google does not see itself as an "American" company. They are above petty things like sovereign nations. They are a transnational as loyal to the Chinese as they are to the US.

To be fair, their only loyalty is to their shareholders. The same with every other public company in the world.
 
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