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Federal Trade Commission to Continue Investigation of Corporate Ties Between Apple and Google

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,523
30,813


The U.S. Federal Trade Commission today released a statement (via CNBC) commending Apple and Google for Google CEO Eric Schmidt's resignation from Apple's Board of Directors. The FTC, however, claims that it will continue to investigate the corporate ties the between two companies for potential anti-competitive activities related to "interlocking directorates".
On August 3, 2009, Apple announced that Eric E. Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google, was stepping down from its board. "We have been investigating the Google/Apple interlocking directorates issue for some time and commend them for recognizing that sharing directors raises competitive issues, as Google and Apple increasingly compete with each other," said Bureau of Competition Director Richard Feinstein. "We will continue to investigate remaining interlocking directorates between the companies."
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As CNBC notes, former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson continues to serve on the Boards of Directors of both companies and former Vice-President Al Gore serves as both a director on Apple's Board and a "special advisor" to Google and Eric Schmidt.

Article Link: Federal Trade Commission to Continue Investigation of Corporate Ties Between Apple and Google
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/03/federal-trade-commission-to-continue-investigation-of-corporate-ties-between-apple-and-google/
C

camnchar

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2006
434
415
Is this the same agency that's investigating Apple for denying Google's iPhone Apps? You just can't win.
 
T

thespazz

macrumors 6502a
Jul 5, 2007
530
36
I'm glad the FCC is exposing the goings on between the companies. It's nice to see that accountability is still somewhat present.
 
DaBrain

DaBrain

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2007
1,124
1
ERIE, PA
Peace said:
Levinson and Gore are next to leave.
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Gore doesn't need it anymore anyways. Seems like his income on his new cap and trade policy efforts has increased his wealth from 3 mill to over 100 million. Complements of all US tax payers! Way to go Al, you leech! :rolleyes: If you think that this won't impact you, just watch your wallet in the very near future.
 
entropys

entropys

macrumors 65816
Jan 5, 2007
1,230
2,333
Brisbane, Australia
I bet my interlocking directorate is bigger than your interlocking directorate. :)

You should never have a politician connected with a company. In the end it just ends up getting tainted with accusations of political favour etc. Well that and Gore is full of it.
 
M

MacFly123

macrumors 68020
Dec 25, 2006
2,340
0
thespazz said:
I'm glad the FCC is exposing the goings on between the companies. It's nice to see that accountability is still somewhat present.
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Truffy said:
Really, any board-level links between supposedly competing companies has got to be viewed suspiciously.
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The sketchy part of all this to me is the tie between huge corporations and government connections. Not like it is any big secret that huge corporations, money, and lobyists have poluted America with corruption! :rolleyes:
 
L

libertyforall

macrumors regular
Mar 28, 2006
186
0
Well, FTC, Apple and Google, as private companies, have the right to associate in whatever way they see fit.

We, as private people, have the right to buy/use products separate from Apple and Google if we do not approve of something they are doing.

fin
:cool:
 
A

admanimal

macrumors 68040
Apr 22, 2005
3,531
2
thespazz said:
I'm glad the FCC is exposing the goings on between the companies. It's nice to see that accountability is still somewhat present.
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FCC = Federal Communications Commission, who is investigating Apple/AT&T over how much control they are exerting over AT&T's mobile network. The FCC deals with communications issues.

FTC = Federal Trade Commission, who is investigating the corporate link between Apple and Google. The FTC deals with corporate antitrust issues.
 
QCassidy352

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area
libertyforall said:
Well, FTC, Apple and Google, as private companies, have the right to associate in whatever way they see fit.
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Not true. If competitors could collaborate however they wanted, they could go so far as to de facto merge while avoiding the anti-trust issues that come from a real merger. Obviously, apple and google are very far from de facto merged, but the point remains that collaboration between ostensible competitors is a potential anti-trust concern.
 
S

surferfromuk

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2007
1,153
0
and yet Microsoft are left untouched to continue to have at least '90% of everything...

It makes no sense....
 
Drumjim85

Drumjim85

macrumors 68030
Oct 7, 2007
2,603
229
DFW, TX
macshill said:
I guess that ruins Google's "don't be evil" philosophy the 2 guys who started it follow. Apple's been evil for years now, only wearing a phony halo. :apple::rolleyes:

Get 'em, FTC! :D
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The FTC is far more evil than apple. Not in this case, but in many others. They have the power to convict you on things without a trial.
 
T

thespazz

macrumors 6502a
Jul 5, 2007
530
36
surferfromuk said:
and yet Microsoft are left untouched to continue to have at least '90% of everything...

It makes no sense....
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You heard of the EU and how they got Microsoft to remove Internet Explorer completely from WIndows 7.....


Now, ****.
 
Anuba

Anuba

macrumors 68040
Feb 9, 2005
3,790
393
So this is why Schmidt left the board, it wasn't directly related to the FCC investigation.
 
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