Fighting Corporateering

FTC reportedly seeking sworn statements in Google-AdMob deal

Antitrust regulators are reported by Bloomberg news service to be seeking sworn statements from Google's competitors and advertisers as they continue to investigate the the Internet giant's proposed $750 million deal to buy AdMob.

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Australian news video calls Google "a company on steroids"

A video produced by Hungry Beast, a weekly news show on Australian television puts Internet giant ...

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Slide show features companies Google calls competition

I recently delved into Google's 10-K filing covering 2009 with the Securities and Exchange...

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Google Identifies Competitors

Google sees an Internet far more crowded with competitors than just a year ago. At least, that's what the company is telling government regulators. Critics of Google's dominance in search — Americans use Google for about two thirds of U.S. searches, and the company has more than 70 percent of U.S. search advertising revenue, and about 90 percent in Europe — say the expanded list of competitors is an attempt by Google to paper over its dominance. "I think they are feeling the heat from several serious antitrust investigations, and that's reflected in the language they are using in the 10-K," said John Simpson, of Consumer Watchdog. He argued in a recent blog post that Google's statements that it has many competitors actually proves that "the opposite is actually true" and that "the real risk to Google's business is not from competition," but that regulators in the U.S. and Europe "will act in the interest of consumers and force the Internet giant to engage" in competition.

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Front page as advertising, shame on LA Times for selling its masthead

I have heard of full page advertising, but until I got my Los Angeles Times from the driveway this morning I never heard of Front Page As Advertising.

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Candidates Find Incumbent Advantage Extends To Web

Thirteen years in the House and a stint as majority leader have furnished Rep.Roy Blunt, R-Mo., with useful GOP and K Street support for his Senate bid. But Blunt's long resume also means a boost from another source: Google. Google's overwhelming dominance of the search market has brought its power to determine marketplace outcomes under new scrutiny this year. Tech company Foundem and other so-called "search neutrality" advocates allege that the search engine is gaining an unfair advantage by favoring its own products in searches. The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog wrote the Justice Department last week urging it to investigate the issue, while the European Commission is already checking out complaints from Foundem and others.

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Good news for consumers at the FTC

The senate confirmed two appointees to the Federal Trade Commission Wednesday night, tipping the balance on the five-member commission to three seats appointed by Democrats to two held by Republican...

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The Onion nails Google on privacy

The Onion, the satirical newspaper, has an on-the-mark article today that makes you realize why people are concerned about the amount of information Internet giant...

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Google tries to highlight competition in SEC filing

Google, under antitrust scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Justice, the ...

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Senate Panel Mulls Consumer Protection Deal

The Senate might break its impasse on financial overhaul if it moves forward with a proposal that would put a consumer financial protection watchdog inside the Federal Reserve. "It's time for Senator Dodd to stop negotiating with Senators who have dug into battle trenches with the big banks in their attempt to block any meaningful consumer protections, and move a bill that will give the rest of the Senate a chance to vote for Main Street and support real reform," said Carmen Balber, Washington director for Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group.

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