Who wants a Sharp Probing?

[joe.pistell]

The Gov't doesn't like any institution that's bigger than it is.
The Gov't doesn't like any institution who's charges makes citizens struggle to pay taxes.

 

[ryan.leslie]

FTC ends long Google probe with mild reprimand

(Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday closed a long-running investigation of Google with a relatively mild agreement that is likely to disappoint rivals and critics of the Web search giant.

Under the agreement, Google agreed to end the practice of "scraping" reviews and other data from rivals' websites for its own products, and to allow advertisers to export data to independently evaluate advertising campaigns, the Federal Trade Commission said.


Very interesting end to a two year investigation. Google basically agreed to stop doing something it had already stopped doing.

 

[ryan.leslie]

...and in the EU they will allow competitors to pay them for ad space in order to be "fairly" represented in search:

On Wednesday, the Commission said that Google has guaranteed that when it promotes its own specialized search services, such as Google Shopping, on search pages, it will also promote the services of three rivals, "selected through an objective method."


Competitors that wish to be represented through these links will have to bid on them if Google normally charges for inclusion, as it does with Google Shopping. Vinje objects to the use of "an auction mechanism that requires participating companies to hand the vast majority of their profits to Google."


Google Settles EU Antitrust Case, Rivals Whine - InformationWeek

It's good to be Google!