The press release is here. Notably, the settlement obligates Google to continue product development and to license ITA software on commercially-reasonable terms, seemingly for 5 years. Frankly, I can’t imagine Google wouldn’t have done this anyway, so the settlement is not likely much of a binding constraint.
Also notable is what the settlement doesn’t seem to do: Impose any remedies intended to “correct” (or even acknowledge) so-called search neutrality issues. This has to be considered a huge victory for Google and for common sense. I’m sure Josh and I will have more to say once the pleadings and settlement are available. Later today or tomorrow we will post a paper we have just completed on the issue of search neutrality.
Unfortunately, this settlement doesn’t put the matter to rest, and we still have to see what the FTC has in store now. But for now, this is, as I said, a huge victory for Google . . . and for all of us who travel!
