U.S. DoJ Wants Google to Sell Chrome Browser

[Cervisia]

Want to see what it's like to have shyte answers to your searches without Google? Ask Siri. That's what you'll get.

Alternative engines are not that terrible compared to google compared to a few years ago. Mostly because google search got way worse since the ai crap came in.

Don't like Google? DON'T USE IT!

Unironically, that's the reason I've bought my first iphone. To get rid of android.

Not sure why you're so wanting Google "hurt"?

Because they are evil, manipulative and have too much power. There have been multiple occasions when they've used search results to hide their competition.

 

[seek3r]

Imagine gov ordering Apple to sell off its iPhone business

So you’ve never heard of anti-trust actions before I guess?

 

[cjsuk]

There are too many humans on this planet at this point and none of them seem to know their ass from their elbow. They say the devil makes work for idle hands don’t they. Despite being a militant atheist, that one becomes more difficult to argue against daily.

I mean I look at the sausage factory at companies I’ve worked for over the years. In goes a good idea and what comes out is spawn of the Cthulhu. Government agencies these days seem to run that path to destruction via perfection.

 

[pdaholic]

Got 5 dollars and am willing to buy. Cash.

 

[hoodlum90]

As long as they dont get rid of chrome Im good

Maybe the government will take over ownership of Chrome. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[S.B.G]

Wow! $20 billion for this, in one year.

 

[klasma]

Maybe the government will take over ownership of Chrome. Be careful what you wish for.

That would lose Chrome half of its market share, and thus would actually be good.

 

[Realityck]

The DoJ will recommend that Google be required to license data and syndicate results from Google Search without restrictions. Bloomberg suggests that syndication would allow rival search engines and AI startups to improve their quality, while the data feed would let others build their own search indexes. Google could also be required to share more data with advertisers, with advertisers given more control over where their ads appear.

Doesn't this just set up data mined from google searches to go to other pockets?

 

[GMShadow]

Doesn't this just set up data mined from google searches to go to other pockets?

Likely donors to certain politicians, yes.


The government can consider regulating when they get a single intelligent person involved. Their desires in this case show that hasn't happened yet, so until then they can sit and spin.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Imagine gov ordering Apple to sell off its iPhone business

I can't think of anything Apple is doing that's analogous to the way Google is using Chrome as a weapon. Maybe the App Store actually.

Hey wait a minute....

 

[dbwie]

I had Little Snitch running in the background, the first time I installed Google Chrome. OMG, it wanted to connect with about 20 different ad tracking services, right after the first install. Talk about selling ones soul! Ha ha. Maybe this is for the better. There are other browser choices, though.

 

[jole]

Chrome and Android are wonderful free products. You can fork either today.

Their development is fully funded by Google's ad-business. Decoupling from that would kill their funding overnight.

This would have drastic impact to competitive landscape. I think the only winner would end up being Apple.

 

[magicschoolbus]

IDK why people use Chrome. I'm honestly shocked the company I work for has it.. I feel like it data mines everything I type into it.

 

[uacd]

Why no political label? I can almost foresee the post becoming warzone!

This is what is called “sunset”. Previous administration releases bunch of rules in hurry without even realizing the consequences or implementation potential. It is quite similar to legislative spam with the exceptions that sunset has some actual possibility of being implemented. Litigations in such cases can take YEARS if not decades with no clear end. Google has trademark on Chrome and Android, I doubt anyone will ever force them to sell their highly valuable assets.

As much as I wanted Chrome to be unGoogled, it is not communism and they are not asking for money, as well as user always has a choice. Same with Android, while they use some open source standards in the os, the core features are their own. If such ruling occurs it will create dangerous precedent and Apple will be forced to follow suit.

But again, I highly doubt DoJ has any chance of actually pushing Google into doing that. They have only two month left, no way it would be possible to do in such short term

 

[jole]

I do. 100%

From the name I assume that you have a AAPL position. I think (we) Apple shareholders would benefit from forcing Google to stop funding Apple competition from their ad-revenues.

Still, IMO this would be shortsighted: It would work as encouragement to try limit Apple's vertical integration based competitive position in US — essentially following EU.

 

[sw1tcher]

I mean, everyone in the DOJ is about to be fired next year, so I highly doubt anything comes from this. We are moving back into a monopoly-favorable political environment.

You're forgetting that JD Vance is in favor of breaking up Alphabet

https://www.barrons.com/articles/jd-vance-break-up-google-stock-c58423c7

JD Vance Wants to Break Up Google. That Could Help the Stock.

July 18, 2024

JD Vance, the Ohio senator and Republican vice-presidential nominee, wants to break up Alphabet, Google’s parent. That might not be so bad for shareholders.

“Absolutely,” was Vance’s answer when Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo asked him in March whether Alphabet should be broken up. “This is one of the most dangerous companies in the world.”

Vance believes Google searches don’t display information fairly. “We’ve got to break this company up,” he said. “I actually think you hear growing calls…from across the political spectrum recognizing that Google is too big, too powerful, and they use their market power to control American politics.”

With the odds of a second Trump term higher in recent days, the chances that Vance could press that agenda are growing.


And with Matt Gaetz as the person whom Trump wants to be AG and in charge of of the DoJ, none of the big tech companies are completely safe.

https://www.barrons.com/articles/matt-gaetz-trump-pick-attorney-general-226abe2a

Matt Gaetz Is Trump’s Pick for Attorney General. He’s an Aggressive Antitrust Advocate.

Nov 13, 2024

Matt Gaetz is Donald Trump’s choice for attorney general, the president-elect said in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday. The Florida congressman has been an advocate of aggressive antitrust enforcement, potentially making him a thorn in the side of Big Tech companies like Amazon.com, Meta Platforms, and Alphabet’s Google.

Gaetz would be tasked with leading the Department of Justice as Trump seeks to permanently quash criminal investigations into his conduct, which he has described as the “partisan weaponization” of the justice system.

In the past, Gaetz has found common ground with Democrats wary of the power of Big Tech companies. He has lauded some antitrust enforcement actions brought by regulators such as Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, appointed by President Joe Biden. He also said he supported Khan’s move to prohibit most noncompete clauses as a “vindication of economic freedom and free enterprise.”

This is the perfect advert for why we should fire 75% of government employees.

No one, anywhere on planet earth wants this.

Hello, alexjholland. I'd like you to meet JD Vance. JD Vance, I'd like you to meet alexjholland. Alex is interested in your ideas for breaking up Alphabet.

 

[macfacts]

Sell them to who? Amazon or Facebook?

Bigger question is who wants to buy it when it is already open source as chromium.

 

[ellpee]

What I’d like to know is how is Google/YouTube managing to disable the PiP functionality of Safari. I guess the simple answer is they’re paying Apple to get away with it but could they not still be exploring a vulnerability in Webkit?

 

[uacd]

This is the perfect advert for why we should fire 75% of government employees.

No one, anywhere on planet earth wants this.

Well, people fired them in this election cycle. In fact they got only few month left to finish stuff. Tho I don’t know if new employees will change anything🤷‍♂️ but I really hope

 

[koruki]

Google didn't do enough to have the left win the election, they keep correcting search results when they get busted.

 

[Applestock]

APPL & MSFT should be eager to file an amicus brief in favor of GOOG. The other issues b/w the three can be worked out much later.

Doesn’t sound like competition

 

[vantelimus]

sell to Elon

That will be the position of the DOJ under Gaetz.

 

[McWetty]

Google should pull out of the US

As an America. I think this is a great idea. Note: I too am being snarky. Kind of. I really wouldn’t miss Google.

 

[Applestock]

Imagine gov ordering Apple to sell off its iPhone business

The iPhone business? No. The App Store business? Absolutely.

 

[maxoakland]

That's a start. I wouldn't say it goes far enough but it would be a good step in the right direction to improve competition in the web