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0 pointsulrikrasmussen2y ago0 comments

I support the enforcement of anti-trust laws against Microsoft, but I am at the same time puzzled at how much Google is allowed to get away with. They are simultaneously maintaining the biggest browser platform while also being the biggest content and advertisement provider, AND they have a major influence on the development of web standards, AND they control the development of a major OS (Android) for accessing the web, where their browser comes pre-installed. And now they are actively exploiting their position and trying to sabotage the competition.

My point in highlighting it is that I think there is a lack of enforcement of anti-trust laws and/or a lack of laws that would prevent Google behaving in this way, since I think it is so much worse than what Microsoft has been doing with Windows not allowing users to uninstall crapware.

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bad_user2y ago

The law you're mentioning is the “Digital Markets Act”, and it's a new law that will apply to Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung and others, not having to do with any enforcement of “antitrust” laws upon Microsoft.

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-...

Furthermore, are we talking about the same Microsoft that:

1. forced usage of Microsoft Edge, while also actively blocking circumvention mechanisms;

2. that keeps hijacking searches for Chrome, or Firefox;

3. that has telemetry in Edge that can't be disabled;

4. and that, upon first opening Edge, it asks you to agree to data sharing with the entire advertising industry?

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You basically assert that Google is receiving preferential treatment from the EU, yet provided absolutely no evidence for it.

ulrikrasmussenOP2y ago

I didn't mean to imply that they got preferential treatment, and I also didn't mean to defend what Microsoft has been doing, I just think what Google is doing is even worse. I meant that if Google is allowed to dominate control of the web like they do now, then I think there is a lack of laws to prevent them from continuing that dominance. This may not be because EU lawmakers have been bought or anything, just that they are ignorant towards the issue of a single market player gaining control of all parts of the web.

nicce2y ago

> yet provided absolutely no evidence for it.

Maybe the absence of evidence is the evidence in this case. (No lawsuits)

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