Google’s smaller competitors are pleading with Europe’s top antitrust official to stop Google from hurting them and other small web business, according to the New York Times.
Eleven web businesses came together and sent out a letter on Thursday, asking European Competition Commissioner Jaoquin Almunia, to make sure Google’s future practices do not harm them.
This is the third year that Google’s search engine operations are being investigated. The “original complainants” in the case against Google is a company known as “Foundem.” Foundem is a British online shopping service.
Many are worried about algorithms the commission said Google is using. With these algorithms it's able to rank its own services above those of its smaller competitors.
As of right now, the commission is looking at two options. Either they come to a settlement with the search engine giant, or have the company prosecuted. If found Guilty, Google could face huge fines.
The case began in February of 2010. In addition to Foundem, original complaints came from “Ciao, a German price comparison site; and Ejustice.fr, a French legal advice site.“
The recent letter included the original companies in the case, as well as, six other web businesses from Europe. The letter was also signed by two American businesses, Expedia and TripAdvisor.
Software giant Microsoft tried to bring the fight to United States by asking the Federal Trade Commission to get involved. However, the FTC already began an investigation of Google in 2011 and recently closed it in January. The matter was settled when Google agreed to change how it conducted its search engine.
The parties represented in the letter, went as far as to suggest the specific action Almunia should take. According to the Times if Almunia were “to issue a statement of objections” then he would have more leverage upon negotiating with Google.
“We will respectfully withhold judgment on Google’s proposed commitments until we have seen them, but Google’s past behavior suggests that it is unlikely to volunteer effective, future-proof remedies without being formally charged with infringement,” they said in their letter according to the Times. “Given this, and the fact that Google has exploited every delay to further entrench, extend, and escalate its anti-competitive activities, we urge the Commission to issue the Statement of Objections.”
According to the Times, Managing Director for European Affairs and media policy at the VDZ German Federation of Magazine Publishers, Christoph Fiedler, believes whatever Alumina does will affect more than just Google and the other parties involved.
“This decision will have critical importance because it will set standards for the digital world,” he said.
