Google Fined $1.7 Billion Over Monopolistic Practices

AlphaAtlas

[H]ard|Gawd
Staff member
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Messages
1,713
The European commission has reportedly slapped Google with a 1.49 billion Euro (or $1.69 billion USD) fine for "abusing its monopoly in online advertising." More specifically, the report alleges that Google prevented companies that using its search service from running any third party adverts, and the commission claims that "Google's rivals were not able to compete on the merits, either because there was an outright prohibition for them to appear on publisher websites or because Google reserved for itself by far the most valuable commercial space on those websites, while at the same time controlling how rival search adverts could appear." Google apparently changed these practices in 2016, but it took some time for the repercussions to catch up with them.

Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition commissioner, said: "Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules. The misconduct lasted over 10 years and denied other companies the possibility to compete on the merits and to innovate - and consumers the benefits of competition."
 
That's a good chunk of change even for them
The article stated that it's the smallest of three fines levied against them by the EU.

I'm curious as to how much of their fines have actually been paid. I'm not curious enough to look into it though.
 
Welll knowing google sized companies, they probably went creative on the books and leveraged someone else to pay their fines.
America should have given Google and others the Standard oil treatment long ago, but they haven't proving America are not the America it use to be ( i think )

PS. Hope i don't get slapped on the wrist again.
 
America should have given Google and others the Standard oil treatment long ago

IMHO here's how American's will response today: " What's a Standard Oil Treatment? Is that a new kind of lube for my car?"
 
Haha yeah you will need to be familiar with history books, or maybe have been playing Railway Empire.
But it actually date back almost to before the Automobile came about, 1911 or was it 12 when Standard oil was broken up as it was a monopoly.
 
I would just pull out of EU if I was google. There will be more and more "fines" in the future.
 
I would just pull out of EU if I was google. There will be more and more "fines" in the future.

Oh yes that argument, somehow it always shows up ... indeed they should pull out of a 18+ trillion dollar market, I'm sure no major competitor will take advantage of that.

That would be one heck of a business decision. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
i got rid of as much google products as possible
no google.com
no gmail.
no chrome

still stuck on android though... but i dont see any really good Open phone os out there, that let ME be the owner of the system
 
They should abandon the EU to teach them a lesson, companies can't commit crimes. People commit crimes and companies aren't people!

Companies can purchase politicians with "donations" in an oligarchy, though, because companies are people.
 
They should abandon the EU to teach them a lesson,


Wow, this again: Do none of you have any business sense whatsoever?

Do you realize how fast Sundar Pichai would be removed if he were to propose your idea to the board of directors? The shareholders lawsuits would come so fast it would make your head spin.

To paraphrase Boromir: One does not simply leave an economic area worth over 20% of global GDP.
 
Last edited:
It's like if the millionaire aunt that raped you as a boy then, sold pictures of it, tossed you a toonie.
 
Wow, this again: Do none of you have any business sense whatsoever?

Do you realize how fast Sundar Pichai would be removed if he were to propose your idea to the board of directors? The shareholders lawsuits would come so fast it would make your head spin.

To paraphrase Boromir: One does not simply leave an economic area worth over 20% of global GDP.

We really need a font for sarcasm.

I assume the EU just goes hey we need money.. which big company can we just steal from today?
essentially. The default stance is fine someone, it's just determining whom.

Enforcing laws is all a cash grab. Would you prefer mass incarcerations? Executions? Or is this another one of those companies can't commit crimes things?

Do you think an oligarchy like the US is going to extradite the Alphabet board of directors so some of the richest people in the country are locked up for years? Rich Americans don't do time unless they run out of money and then they're not rich, are they?
 
I would just pull out of EU if I was google

I am in the EU, and i support this, cuz i don't mind to admit i am weak and sick too, sadly i know this and do nothing about it, which say a lot about me.
But if they pulled out that would help me so much.

it is of course not going to happen, but one can dream.

On the other hand i don't think EU ask more of Google than they ask of any other company from here, and i do think it is fair to say our playground - our rules. Google do the same, their services their rules on them.
But the only ones that can fix the Google problem, if you acknowledge they are a problem, well that's Google them self or America and the countries they can or will funnel their money thru.
And we all know money talks, and pretty much anything else compared to those walks.
 
We really need a font for sarcasm.




Enforcing laws is all a cash grab. Would you prefer mass incarcerations? Executions? Or is this another one of those companies can't commit crimes things?

Do you think an oligarchy like the US is going to extradite the Alphabet board of directors so some of the richest people in the country are locked up for years? Rich Americans don't do time unless they run out of money and then they're not rich, are they?
when you change the playing field questions need to be asked
 
This is nothing more than a tax increase on Google. If these guys are doing something so illegal, then why aren't people going to jail? This just seems like an excuse for the EU to take more money without killing the Google cash cow.
 
Is that why when I use Google's search bar on my phone and it brings up their browser pages I go to dont like to load correctly or at all, because theyare e blocking third party apps
 
Good luck on collecting if they challenge this. Any word on the current status of the EU vs. Apple stuff? Don't get me wrong, I'm for it but still doubting if any of the large sounding fines are actually being paid.
 
I might have the details wrong, so please comment, but...

Microsoft harmed consumers bundling media player with windows.
Google harmed consumers by manipulating search results.

And Facebook. After all the things that Facebook has done. I don't think I've seen the EU come down on them. Especially in light of GDPR, I would think they'd bring the fist of an angry god down on FB for all the things they've done.
 
That's a good chunk of change even for them
Maybe not. Their 2017 revenue was 117B and 2018 was 136B. So that's just over one percent of they revenue.

If you were making 136 thousand a year, is having to pay a thousand dollar deductible for an insurance issue a huge chunk of change? It's less than one tenth of your monthly income one month of the year.

It just sounds like a lot because to us it's unimaginable and borderline inconceivable. It's probably next to impossible to even imagine the number of say tesla roadsters a billion would buy in your mind's eye. Virtually too many for most people's brain to draw or entertain at once.
 
Last edited:
Welll knowing google sized companies, they probably went creative on the books and leveraged someone else to pay their fines.
America should have given Google and others the Standard oil treatment long ago, but they haven't proving America are not the America it use to be ( i think )

PS. Hope i don't get slapped on the wrist again.
IMHO here's how American's will response today: " What's a Standard Oil Treatment? Is that a new kind of lube for my car?"

Actually American consumers will pay the fine because in America today you have ignorance + no choice, a very dangerous combination. Price increases across the board are already happening. In America you're esentially a product and the consumer at the same time. You're an item that's good enough as long as you can borrow and spend. This pyramid scheme will come to end though.

As far as the EU, they don't have corruption or monopolies. In fact they have slightly different masters. ← This is called "sarcasm" :D
 
Last edited:
Actually American consumers will pay the fine because in America today you have ignorance + no choice, a very dangerous combination. Price increases across the board are already happening. In America you're esentially a product and the consumer at the same time. You're an item that's good enough as long as you can borrow and spend. This pyramid scheme will come to end though.

As far as the EU, they don't have corruption or monopolies. In fact they have slightly different masters.

I wouldn't go as far as "don't have corruption or monopolies" but the general gist I agree with more or less. Corporate influence is still a problem there, especially when it comes to intellectual property, despite the efforts of the pirate party and such.
 
Actually American consumers will pay the fine because in America today you have ignorance + no choice, a very dangerous combination. Price increases across the board are already happening. In America you're essentially a product and the consumer at the same time.

folks don't realize yet that when they opted for security, especially after 911, they gave up freedom. Old Ben had it right.
 
As far as the EU, they don't have corruption or monopolies.
Uh, yeah, you might want to walk that one back a little bit. I agree, it's WORSE in USA, but that's not the same thing.
 
I wouldn't go as far as "don't have corruption or monopolies" but the general gist I agree with more or less. Corporate influence is still a problem there, especially when it comes to intellectual property, despite the efforts of the pirate party and such.

Uh, yeah, you might want to walk that one back a little bit. I agree, it's WORSE in USA, but that's not the same thing.

That was pure sarcasm. Sorry that I forgot the "/s" tag. It was bound to happen at some point...
 
Back
Top