[EU] Record breaking 4.34 billion fine against Google (Alphabet)

[Elegiac]

God, I'd almost forgotten what it was like having antitrust laws actually be enforced.

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How does net neutrality relate to the EU targeting US tech companies?

Net neutrality wouldn't be nearly as critical an issue if the telecoms market in the US wasn't an oligarchy.

[telygroar]

I think the EU has been trying to extort American companies.

Sorry, but i honestly see many more EU company being extorted in the US than the reverse ^^' (excluding the german car scandal where they deserved it, ofc).

EDIT : also, they can and are actually contesting the decision, and they are not banned from doing business in the EU until the decision review is over *AHEM* like others...

[Slant]

I think the EU has been trying to extort American companies.

So, basically you'd like US companies to be immune to European laws when acting in Europe. Sounds sensible. You'll have to lose your typical American viewpoint in these issues from now on. Playtime's over.

[Acidbaron]

So, basically you'd like US companies to be immune to European laws when acting in Europe. Sounds sensible. You'll have to lose your typical American viewpoint in these issues from now on. Playtime's over.

We both know or resident fake independent did not read the article and only sees what he wants to see.

Since not supporting this means one is pretty much in favor for price fixing.

Also from adds alone Google makes annually I believe almost 20 times this fine.

[Slant]

We both know or resident fake independent did not read the article and only sees what he wants to see.

Since not supporting this means one is pretty much in favor for price fixing.

Also from adds alone Google makes annually I believe almost 20 times this fine.

Just wait what happens if they can't fix this problem within 90 days. 5% of their global revenue per day for every day they fail to comply to EU regulations.

[Deleted]

Edit: I particularily like that they're aiming at the global corp, not just what's inside the EU. You can run, but you can't hide!

While I agree, Trump will sell this as "going against American corporations" again.

[Slant]

While I agree, Trump will sell this as "going against American corporations" again.

I'm fine with that. Americans never cared what people outside the US thought about them. Why should they care now?

[Mayhem]

I'm fine with that. Americans never cared what people outside the US thought about them. Why should they care now?

You're wrong, it's not that they never cared, it's that they were super sure everyone outside the US loved them for saving them at least thrice in two world wars sometime last decade or so and keeping them save from terrorists right now. So whenever something like this happens it can only be because of jealousy or outright war.

[DarkTZeratul]

I'm not promoting victimology. I'm glad Google is learning their lesson.

Applauding Google getting slapped with a fine for being an illegal monopoly while opposing net neutrality on the grounds that we shouldn't interfere with how corporations conduct their business seems extremely hypocritical.

[PC2]

Applauding Google getting slapped with a fine for being an illegal monopoly while opposing net neutrality on the grounds that we shouldn't interfere with how corporations conduct their business seems extremely hypocritical.

I'm not applauding the fine I'm saying that Google is learning their lesson about which markets are more or less friendly to their business. Which is fine, each region from the EU to China should decide how they want to deal with business they don't like.

[Acidbaron]

I'm not applauding the fine I'm saying that Google is learning their lesson about which markets are more or less friendly to their business. Which is fine, each region from the EU to China should decide how they want to deal with business they don't like.

Friendliness has nothing to do when the law is being broken. Google will comply as they are not going to be able to sell not doing business in the EU. And they also can't pull the plug other laws in place to prevent that.

Welcome to a region that cares about it's people and doenst put companies interest before consumer rights.

If your next post is again about favoritism and ignoring the law you confirm to me you are both dishonest and a fake conservative.

[Mayhem]

Welcome to a region that cares about it's people and doenst put companies interest before consumer rights.

Fucking socialists I tell you!

[Slant]

This isn't about favouritism, btw. One of the biggest supporters of this decision was Yelp, another US company.

[PC2]

Friendliness has nothing to do when the law is being broken. Google will comply as they are not going to be able to sell not doing business in the EU. And they also can't pull the plug other laws in place to prevent that.

Welcome to a region that cares about it's people and doenst put companies interest before consumer rights.

If your next post is again about favoritism and ignoring the law you confirm to me you are both dishonest and a fake conservative.

Yeah Google will comply, but one of their lessons is that you can't necessarily release the same product in two regions. Release the full version in the US, but then release a training wheels version in some other regions. Because it's not worth getting a 4 billion dollar fine every day.

[Acidbaron]

Yeah Google will comply, but one of their lessons is that you can't necessarily release the same product in two regions. Release the full version in the US, but then release a training wheels version in some other regions. Because it's not worth getting a 4 billion dollar fine every day.

Feature incomplete products will open up the door to competitors. Plenty of others jumping at the chance including other US ones.

The time you can treat the EU as second rate has ended for almost two decades now and that can't be undone.

[PC2]

Feature incomplete products will open up the door to competitors. Plenty of others jumping at the chance including other US ones.

The time you can treat the EU as second rate has ended for almost two decades now and that can't be undone.

Cool, that would be great if Europe did create internet companies at the scale of YouTube and Twitter. It's probably not going to happen though because of the way they bring in revenue and are free to the end user.

[Acidbaron]

Cool, that would be great if Europe did create internet companies at the scale of YouTube and Twitter. It's probably not going to happen though because of the way they bring in revenue and are free to the end user.

It's too late for me to explain to you what happens when a public listed company is going to under go when it intentionally cut itself out of a huge consumer market.

You also keep thinking that the EU can't produce such a company or that said competitor can't be from the US also.

[PC2]

It's too late for me to explain to you what happens when a public listed company is going to under go when it intentionally cut itself out of a huge consumer market.

Google isn't cutting itself off from the EU. It can just turn off some problematic features and there is no issue anymore.

You also keep thinking that the EU can't produce such a company or that said competitor can't be from the US also.

Please do make those companies. We only benefit by having more YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook scale companies.

[Slant]

Yeah Google will comply, but one of their lessons is that you can't necessarily release the same product in two regions. Release the full version in the US, but then release a training wheels version in some other regions. Because it's not worth getting a 4 billion dollar fine every day.

Shows how much you understand about the topic at hand. This isn't about a software solution gone wrong. Or different versions. The whole problem more or less only exists in the contractual situation regarding phone manufacturing companies like Samsung and what they can pre-install on the phones they manufacture. This is a contractual problem (as antitrust cases often are) and not a technical problem.

And yes, Google can and does have different contracts for the same product depending on the regional jurisdiction. Because otherwise they wouldn't be able to maintain just one contract outside the joke legal system that is common law.

[PC2]

Shows how much you understand about the topic at hand. This isn't about a software solution gone wrong. Or different versions. The whole problem more or less only exists in the contractual situation regarding phone manufacturing companies like Samsung and what they can pre-install on the phones they manufacture. This is a contractual problem (as antitrust cases often are) and not a technical problem.

And yes, Google can and does have different contracts for the same product depending on the regional jurisdiction. Because otherwise they wouldn't be able to maintain just one contract outside the joke legal system that is common law.

Except you can solve contractual problems by using software to turn of problematic features. It's not that hard.