Google faces a £7 billion lawsuit for blocking search engine competition at the expense of consumers
Google faces a £7 billion lawsuit for blocking search engine competition at the expense of consumers
Google accused of anti-competitive practices that have led to 65 million UK consumers paying more for goods and services
The lawsuit argues that Google has effectively ‘bought’ the UK mobile phone search engine market. Google forced mobile phone handset manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search and Google Chrome browser apps on devices that use Google’s Android operating system in order to obtain a licence to use Google Play.
Google also unlawfully paid billions to Apple to ensure that it was the default search engine on iPhones and other devices that used Apple’s iOS operating system. In 2019, Google paid £1.2 billion to Apple in the UK to be the default search engine on the Safari browser.
It is claimed that Google has used its market dominance to effectively charge advertisers over the odds. Costs were then passed on to such an extent that all consumers ended up paying higher prices for goods and services sold by brands that have advertised on the platform.
I tend to be pretty pessimistic about these cases. Even if the UK Govt win, Google won't change anything, or if they do the change will be subtle enough to not have any impact
I'm not so sure, if it is quite expensive and carries on being quite expensive, they may need to make changes to default search or default browsers. If this can help people get Firefox easier, this could start to chip away at the viability of WEI (web DRM).
Just cost of doing business for Google
7 billion is not just "cost of business" for Google lmao
Some of you are so out if touch from this world if you think Google isn't really concerned about such an amount
Who is eligible for compensation?
... all UK consumers who bought goods or services from a business who advertised using search advertising services provided by Google. This is effectively everyone in the UK.
Consumers do not have to have seen these goods and services advertised on Google, or used Google to have purchased the goods or services. This is because the claim says that these inflated prices were paid by everyone if the business advertised on Google.
Consumers affected by the Google claim could be owed around £100 if the claim is won. They will not pay costs or fees to participate. The claim is being funded by global litigation funder Hereford Litigation.
An interesting case and claim. Indirect correlation.
Make them cry.
DONT BE EVIL 
Ahhh, feels good, my faith in humanity is (briefly) restored, waiting to see them actually pay it
I wouldn't get excited until it's successful. They got expensive lawyers.
Let's say google is fined 7B. Is there any real competition for the search engine space. Maybe Bing the next big mainstream service. Brave? DDG? They all have some flaw though and isn't as seamless as Google.
True, but imo ddg has gotten pretty close in terms of capability.
But Google has become the Walmart of the internet. The only thing their missing is a literal storefront.
Need email? Gmail. Need a browser? Google Chrome Want entertainment? YouTube Search engine? Google Phone OS? Android (most) Chromebooks, Google Office Suite, AdSense.
Google has way too much power over the internet.
I think Google Shopping counts as a storefront
I haven't tried DDG ever since the whole Microsoft fiasco but I'll give it another try. I do agree with everything else you said though. Thank goodness I have degoogled my devices.
Yandex works pretty well
Meh Cost of doing business which is already accounted.
Maybe so but it's still a step in the right direction. Legal precedent is important to pave the way for larger changes.
I wish we had some leadership with the balls to do some post industrial revolution style trust busting