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FTC after Google

by Nuno
15 replies
I've been thinking when this would happen... it was a matter of time.

"
The agency's central focus is whether Google manipulates search results to favor its own products, and makes it harder for competitors and their products to appear prominently on a results page.
"

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/13/te...rch.html?_r=1&

What is your opinion? Those Youtube and local results at the top, not to mention other less known properties, are raising attention.

Their new Webmaster Guidelines also target local marketing. Funny thing is that some of their local results (shown with Plus) have no original content, and sometimes almost none at all, but have no issues ranking at the top.

https://support.google.com/webmaster...n&answer=35769
#ftc #google
  • Profile picture of the author Mac Wheeler
    Should be interesting, but I don't see much changing in the short to medium-term.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
    I like to hear that You Tube is being favored because I am using You Tube as a great traffic source. I am not mad at Google for doing that.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Should be interesting to follow. I'd love to see an anti-trust suit against Google similar to the one against Microsoft in the late 1990s
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  • Profile picture of the author Nuno
    In my opinion, the matter isn't that we cannot take advantage of some of these G decisions, but if it's legal to Google to organize their SERPS this way.
    We, webmasters, can usually adapt (up to a certain degree), but Google keeps driving more traffic to a certain group of websites.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mac Wheeler
    There is a subtle difference between the Microsoft case and Google though I think. Microsoft was effectively locking people in to its products. However, people have several choices instead of using Google. I think it will be a long winded lawsuit, but a very interesting one, which has the capacity to entirely change how Internet searches work.

    Can't wait to see what happens though!
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  • Profile picture of the author Nuno
    The European Union is also checking if they are abusing their dominant position Will they decide that there is preferential treatment in their search results? Their penalties are usually very high...
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  • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
    That's BS! Of course Google would give a higher priority to their own services! Wouldn't you? Are you not going to recommend your own products even if they were inferior to other products on the market?
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Sumit Menon View Post

      That's BS! Of course Google would give a higher priority to their own services! Wouldn't you? Are you not going to recommend your own products even if they were inferior to other products on the market?
      Refer to the US Anti-Trust Laws that prohibit monopolies. Didn't work for Microsoft either.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_..._antitrust_law
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      • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        Refer to the US Anti-Trust Laws that prohibit monopolies. Didn't work for Microsoft either.

        United States antitrust law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
        Wow! That's a weird law! I had heard about the Microsoft case before but never really paid much attention. There must be an equivalent law in our country too!

        And banks and insurance companies have exemptions! BANKS!?
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        • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
          Oh geez Thank You! I love the way you add value to a conversation. :\

          Originally Posted by xezile View Post

          THAT'S bs.
          Originally Posted by xezile View Post

          Google down.
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      • Profile picture of the author WFAlex
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        Refer to the US Anti-Trust Laws that prohibit monopolies. Didn't work for Microsoft either.

        United States antitrust law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
        This. After all the bans and ridiculous regulations many of us experienced, I'd chuckle silently when they get hit.
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxNiche
    Yes,Google manipulates search results to favor it's own products.It is well known.
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  • Profile picture of the author Berg Canon
    Just depends upon how much money Google spends on Lobbyists.

    Same thing happened to Microsoft years back. Microsoft never spent a dime on Lobbyists and lost the case to Netscape (and others).

    They learned the hard way how biz is done in D.C. Now they spend hundreds of millions per year on Lobbying....sad but true!
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    I don't know if that was very smart of the FTC. Hope they realize they might be a lot harder to find in the search results now
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      hmmmmmmm

      priority given to their inferior products.

      this sounds a lot like Atlas Shrugged
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