Alphabet Google Spells Out Clueless for EU
November 17, 2016
I read “Google: EU Commissioners Don’t Understand Antitrust Law.” The main point of the write up is that the Googlers perceive the regulatory folks in the European Union as have a problem with their reading skills and logical thought. Who knows if this is true? I just love the idea of a Sillycon Valley company informing government officials that they are, in a word, clueless. Ah, the confidence of the online advertising outfit.
The write up informed me that:
In an effort to soften the European Commission’s inquiry into business practices, Google has claimed that those bringing charges against it do not fully understand antitrust law.
The source for the insight was a write up in a Google blog penned by a real live Googler called “Improving Quality Isn’t Anti Competitive, Part II.” The write up points out that online shopping is “robustly competitive.”
What’s interesting is that the European Union does not agree with the Googler it seems. Is it possible that the clueless wonders will take umbrage at Google’s view of their inquiry? Nah, I bet those EU folks are darned forgiving. The regulators have given Google extensions so that the company could respond to the allegations about Google’s putting its thumb on the scale when weighing cheese.
I do love the idea that regulators do not understand the laws they are charged with interpreting and enforcing. Let’s see. Yes, I remember that Google took a similar approach to its China business. How has that been working out for Google? The Alphabet Google thing may face a similar type of push back with the EU no matter how much those folks love Google search. Well, there’s always Qwant.com and Yandex mail if the EU folks get too frisky.
Stephen E Arnold, November 17, 2016
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