http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/eu-fines-google-dollar17-billion-for-abusing-online-ads-market/ar-BBV02O8?li=BBnbfcL

QuoteEuropean Union regulators have hit Google with a 1.49 billion euro ($1.68 billion) fine for abusing its dominant role in online advertising.

It's the third time the commission has slapped Google with an antitrust penalty, following multibillion-dollar fines resulting from separate probes into two other parts of the Silicon Valley giant's business.

The EU's competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, announced the results of the long-running probe of Google's AdSense advertising business at a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.

"Today's decision is about how Google abused its dominance to stop websites using brokers other than the AdSense platform," Vestager said.

The commission found that Google and its parent company, Alphabet, breached EU antitrust rules by imposing restrictive clauses in contracts with websites that used AdSense, preventing Google rivals from placing their ads on these sites.

Google "prevented its rivals from having a chance to innovate and to compete in the market on their merits," Vestager said. "Advertisers and website owners, they had less choice and likely faced higher prices that would be passed on to consumers."

With Trump squeezing the globalists, I'd hate to be Google right now.

Quote from: taxed on March 21, 2019, 04:59:45 AM
With Trump squeezing the globalists, I'd hate to be Google right now.

Something has to be done..and quickly. These US companies have become international cartels and have been acting in concert with one another to promote their own agenda, even if it is in conflict with our own national interests.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/google-reluctant-to-work-with-pentagon-is-partnering-with-china-us-lawmakers-told-119031500105_1.html

Quote from: wally on March 21, 2019, 12:01:18 PM
Something has to be done..and quickly. These US companies have become international cartels and have been acting in concert with one another to promote their own agenda, even if it is in conflict with our own national interests.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/google-reluctant-to-work-with-pentagon-is-partnering-with-china-us-lawmakers-told-119031500105_1.html

Which is why I support punishing Social Media platforms. These technology companies have to much unchecked power.

Quote from: Sick Of Silence on March 21, 2019, 12:08:13 PM
Which is why I support punishing Social Media platforms. These technology companies have to much unchecked power.

Yep.  At the risk of agreeing with (shudder  ) White Eyes/Forked Tongued Lizzy Warren, someone gave her some good advice and she's bringing it to the floor of the Senate.   This would be great, if we got some bipartisan support for something which is good for America.  Perhaps they will take away the special protection Congress gave them because they sold themselves as being a Public Square.  I think our existing anti-trust laws can handle it, if the special exemption is stripped away and they are treated like utilities. (the Ma Bell of today)