Case Against Google May Be Undercut by Rapid Changes in Technology

The antitrust case against Google filed by European Union regulators on Wednesday will inevitably draw comparisons to the long-running prosecution of Microsoft, in which regulators on both sides of the Atlantic pursued the software giant for anticompetitive behavior.But Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s competition commissioner, may not find the comparison entirely flattering. With more than a decade of hindsight, the theories supporting the case against Microsoft have all but fallen apart, and the pursuit of the company that makes Windows may suggest a reason for skepticism about this fight against Google: The tech marketplace is fluid and unpredictable. The giants that look most unbeatable today could falter in ways that may once have seemed unthinkable — and without a lot of help from the government.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/technology/case-against-google-may-be-undercut-by-rapid-shifts-in-tech.htmlEurope Challenges Google, Seeing Violations of Its Antitrust Law
The European Union’s antitrust chief on Wednesday formally accused Google of abusing its dominance in web searches, bringing charges that could limit the giant American tech company’s moneymaking prowess.The case is the first time that antitrust charges have been brought against Google, despite a yearslong face-off between the company and regulators here. It will almost certainly increase pressure on Google to address complaints that the company favors its own products in search results over its rivals’ services.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/business/international/european-union-google-antitrust-case.htmlMicrosoft, Once an Antitrust Target, Is Now Google’s Regulatory Scold
Not long ago, Microsoft was the scourge of European antitrust regulators.It was fined not once, not twice, not thrice but four times. Finally, after Microsoft paid more than $3 billion, Europe left it alone.Now, Google is firmly in Europe’s cross hairs: Antitrust regulators on Wednesday formally accused the company of abusing its dominance. And Microsoft is relishing a second act in Brussels, playing the role of scold instead of victim.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/technology/microsoft-once-an-antitrust-target-is-now-googles-regulatory-scold.htmlThe Danish Politician Who Accused Google of Antitrust Violations
Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s competition commissioner, announced on Wednesday that she was bringing formal antitrust charges against Google. A longtime Danish politician, she has brought an assertive approach to Europe’s competition ministry since taking over late last year. She also may be the only regulator in Brussels known for knitting elephants.
www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/business/international/margrethe-vestager-the-danish-politician-who-brought-antitrust-charges-against-google.html