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| Google, E.U. reach settlement in antitrust case | Google, E.U. reach settlement in antitrust case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Google settled an antitrust case with European regulators on Wednesday, ending a more-than-three-year investigation into whether the tech firm’s search practices undermined competition. | Google settled an antitrust case with European regulators on Wednesday, ending a more-than-three-year investigation into whether the tech firm’s search practices undermined competition. |
| The settlement does not require Google to pay a fine and the Mountain View, Calif., company did not admit wrongdoing. But under the deal, Google said it would modify the search results shown in Europe to make competitor’s pages “clearly visible” when users look for specialized services such as hotels, restaurants or products. The search results would display the services of three rivals in the same way that Google currently shows its own services. | The settlement does not require Google to pay a fine and the Mountain View, Calif., company did not admit wrongdoing. But under the deal, Google said it would modify the search results shown in Europe to make competitor’s pages “clearly visible” when users look for specialized services such as hotels, restaurants or products. The search results would display the services of three rivals in the same way that Google currently shows its own services. |
| Google, which has more than 90 percent of the search market in some European countries, did not immediately return a call for comment. The deal will not affect what Americans see when they use Google. | Google, which has more than 90 percent of the search market in some European countries, did not immediately return a call for comment. The deal will not affect what Americans see when they use Google. |
| The commission’s statement included screen shots of what the new search layout would look like. For example, users searching for a gas grill would be shown two boxes, one featuring “Google Shopping results” and a second one labeled “Alternatives.” | The commission’s statement included screen shots of what the new search layout would look like. For example, users searching for a gas grill would be shown two boxes, one featuring “Google Shopping results” and a second one labeled “Alternatives.” |
| After two previous proposals were rejected as unsuitable, European Union antitrust commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Wednesday that Google’s new offer addressed the commission’s concerns. | After two previous proposals were rejected as unsuitable, European Union antitrust commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Wednesday that Google’s new offer addressed the commission’s concerns. |
| But the deal immediately drew criticism from competitors who said it did not go far enough. | But the deal immediately drew criticism from competitors who said it did not go far enough. |
| FairSearch Europe, an interest group whose members include Microsoft, Nokia, travel site Expedia and others, said Google’s offer was “worse than doing nothing.” The deal requires competitors to pay in order to receive the improved placement, leaving them at a continued disadvantage, they said. | FairSearch Europe, an interest group whose members include Microsoft, Nokia, travel site Expedia and others, said Google’s offer was “worse than doing nothing.” The deal requires competitors to pay in order to receive the improved placement, leaving them at a continued disadvantage, they said. |
| “The Google proposal requires rivals to pay Google for placement similar to that of Google’s own material, undercutting the ability of others to compete and provide consumer choice,” Thomas Vinje, legal counsel for FairSearch Europe, said in the statement. | “The Google proposal requires rivals to pay Google for placement similar to that of Google’s own material, undercutting the ability of others to compete and provide consumer choice,” Thomas Vinje, legal counsel for FairSearch Europe, said in the statement. |
| An independent trustee will be responsible for monitoring the tech company’s compliance with the new agreement for the next five years. | An independent trustee will be responsible for monitoring the tech company’s compliance with the new agreement for the next five years. |
| Related: | |
| How Google’s antitrust deal in the E.U. will affect you | |
| Follow The Post’s new tech blog, The Switch, where technology and policy connect. | Follow The Post’s new tech blog, The Switch, where technology and policy connect. |