Google is on trial for allegedly using underhand tactics to ensure it stays the world’s leading search engine. The U.S. Justice Department claims Google, which owns a 90% market share in search, paid massive sums to companies like Apple to make it the default search engine on products like the iPhone. These multibillion-dollar deals gave Google an unfair advantage, the DOJ alleges, making it nearly impossible for rival companies to compete. The trial will last 10 weeks and include testimonies from key figures like Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The outcome of the landmark case could bring significant changes to Google and the future of the Internet. But it’s equally likely the trial will result in no changes and Google will be free to continue operating however it wants. We’ll keep updating this article with the latest developments from this landmark trial. As the trial is set to cover many Google search-related issues, we have organized the updates by topic to make the timeline easier to follow.
Google search dominanceGoogle credits its 90% market share to being a superior platform (Sept. 12
Google calls its competition ‘inferior’ (Sept. 12)
Google is ‘using clicks in rankings’ (Sept. 20)
Search engine competitors and claims of harmMicrosoft says Google’s mobile search is a superior product (Sept. 28)
Bing takes to the stand and highlights Google’s ‘less obvious’ advantages (Sept. 26)
DuckDuckGo calls out Google (Sept. 21)
Search engine users do not have a choice, says DuckDuckGo (Sept. 21)
Google default deal blocked opportunities for Branch Metrics (Sept. 21)
Microsoft claims the search market is ‘bogus’ (Oct. 2)
Google owns the web, suggests Microsoft (Oct. 2)
Microsoft calls for search to be more competitive (Oct. 2)
AI could make the unfair search industry even worse (Oct. 2)
Google search ads ‘can’t be replaced’ (Oct. 4)
Google is branded a ‘benevolent dictator’ by Booking.com (Oct. 13)
Expedia’s former COO claims ad payments to Google ballooned x10 – but traffic didn’t follow (Oct. 19)
Google accused of using deliberate tactics to increase ad payments from marketers (Oct. 25)
Google’s default search dealsApple allegedly didn’t want a default search engine (Sept. 12)
Apple considered creating its own search engine if Google deal wasn’t agreed (Sept. 26)
Apple ‘acknowledged Bing is superior to Google on desktop’ (Sept. 28)
Google pays $10 billion a year to maintain default status (Sept. 12)
Google’s search engine default status on phones was a ‘priority’ (Sept. 13)
Google faced competition to become default search engine on mobile (Sept. 13)
Microsoft claims it offered to pay Apple more than Google for default status (Sept. 29)
Samsung ‘shut down default search engine conversations with Microsoft for Google’ (Sept. 29)
Verizon appears to contradict Google (Sept. 19)
Pitching Bing to Apple (Oct. 2)
‘Google is buying its way to squelch competitors’, claims Samsung email (Oct. 4)
Google’s CEO raised concerns over default status (Oct. 9)
Google’s default deals ‘block rivals from up to 50% of all search queries in the UK alone’ (Oct. 16)
Judge Mehta acknowledges problems caused by Google’s default status Oct. 25)
Potentially anticompetitive conductGoogle admits it quietly increases ad prices without telling advertisers (Sept. 18)
Google’s Search Ads 360 integration issues make the problem worse, says Microsoft (Oct. 2)
Google ‘hid and destroyed evidence’ (Sept. 12)
Googlers were told to be mindful of their language (Sept. 13)
Apple has ‘a lot of leverage in its negotiations with Google’ (Oct. 10)
The States’ witness points to potential remedies (Oct. 25)
Additional legal issuesDOJ objects Google’s request to remove public from courtroom (Sept. 18)
DOJ removes Google evidence from its website (Sept. 20)
DOJ may start sharing evidence with the public again (Sept. 26)
Google explains how its advertising auctions work (Oct. 3)
DOJ claims Google isn’t transparent regarding advertising auctions (Oct. 3)
DOJ accuses Google of using unfair tactics to increase ad prices (Oct. 4)
Google’s defenceGoogle’s first witness defends search quality (Oct. 18)
Google sees Amazon, TikTok and Meta as major ad competitors (Oct. 26)
Verdict. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta isn't expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google broke the law, another trial will decide what steps should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California-based company. Why we care: If the US Government wins this case, it could mean Google is no longer automatically installed as the default search engine on everyday products, which could threaten its position as the world's search leader. This means rival companies like Yahoo could realistically stand a chance of taking Google's crown for the first time, which could bring significant changes to the search landscape as we know it. What’s at stake. The U.S. and state allies are not asking for money; they want a court order to stop Google from its alleged unfair practices. This order could greatly affect Google's business. For example:
This lawsuit is considered one of the most significant challenges to the tech industry's dominance since the DOJ sued Microsoft in 1998 for its control of the personal computer market. In that case, the trial court ruled that Microsoft had unlawfully attempted to hinder the rival browser Netscape Navigator. Microsoft ultimately reached a settlement that didn't break up the company. If Google's lead attorney Schmidtelein looks familiar, that may be because he represented Microsoft against the DOJ in the 1998 trial. Deep dive. Read the US Justice Department's official statement for more information on why it is suing Google. The post Google search antitrust trial updates: Everything you need to know (so far) appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/klUMCYE
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