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Showing results for:  “google”

The FTC Makes its Google Investigation Official, Now What?

No surprise here.  The WSJ announced it was coming yesterday, and today Google publicly acknowledged that it has received subpoenas related to the Commission’s investigation.  Amit Singhal of Google acknowledged the FTC subpoenas at the Google Public Policy Blog: At Google, we’ve always focused on putting the user first. We aim to provide relevant answers ... The FTC Makes its Google Investigation Official, Now What?

What’s really motivating the pursuit of Google?

I have an op-ed up at Main Justice on FTC Chairman Leibowitz’ recent comment in response the a question about the FTC’s investigation of Google that the FTC is looking for a “pure Section Five case.”  With Main Justice’s permission, the op-ed is re-printed here:   There’s been a lot of chatter around Washington about ... What’s really motivating the pursuit of Google?

TechFreedom Search Engine Regulation Event today

Today at 12:30 at the Capitol Visitor Center, TechFreedom is hosting a discussion on the regulation of search engines:  “Search Engine Regulation: A Solution in Search of a Problem?” The basics: Allegations of “search bias” have led to increased scrutiny of Google, including active investigations in the European Union and Texas, a possible FTC investigation, ... TechFreedom Search Engine Regulation Event today

THIS THURSDAY: The Law and Economics of Search Engines and Online Advertising at GMU Law

The Henry G. Manne Program in Law & Economics Studies and Google present a conference on The Law and Economics of Search Engines and Online Advertising to be held at George Mason University School of Law, Thursday, June 16th, 2011. The conference will run from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. OVERVIEW: This conference is organized ... THIS THURSDAY: The Law and Economics of Search Engines and Online Advertising at GMU Law

The uncorporate solution to corporate cash hoarding

Jason Zweig wrote Saturday in the WSJ about how companies are hoarding their cash. Microsoft, Cisco, Google, Apple and J & J “added $15 billion in cash and marketable securities to their balance sheets. Microsoft alone packed away roughly $9 billion, or $100 million a day. All told, the companies in the Standard & Poor’s ... The uncorporate solution to corporate cash hoarding

Barnett v. Barnett on Antitrust

Tom Barnett (Covington & Burling) represents Expedia in, among other things, its efforts to persuade a US antitrust agency to bring a case against Google involving the alleged use of its search engine results to harm competition.  In that role, in a recent piece in Bloomberg, Barnett wrote the following things: “The U.S. Justice Department ... Barnett v. Barnett on Antitrust

Antitrust as Innovation Policy

The Washington Post links to the transcript of the President’s recent remarks at a Palo Alto town hall meeting at Facebook’s headquarters on April 20.  The President talked about recent issues of interest, focusing primarily on the budget, unemployment and health care.  I did see one item that may be of interest to the antitrust ... Antitrust as Innovation Policy

The End of An Era?

Well, perhaps not quite the end of an era given all of the intense antitrust scrutiny that continues in the high-tech sector.  But it seems like it should not go without noting that the Microsoft case will officially come to an end on May 12th.  The San Francisco Chronicle observes: In a final hearing in ... The End of An Era?

Sacrificing Consumer Welfare in the Search Bias Debate

Eric Clemons and Nehal Madhani have a posted a series of short blog posts on the Huffington Post focusing on Google, antitrust, and more specifically, vertical integration and search (Part I, Part II, and Part III).   The articles contain much of the standard hand-wringing about vertical integration and its impact on consumer welfare.  This is ... Sacrificing Consumer Welfare in the Search Bias Debate

Net Neutrality, the MetroPCS Complaint, and Low-Income Consumers

I blogged a bit about the MetroPCS net neutrality complaint a few weeks ago.  The complaint, you may recall, targeted the MetroPCS menu of packages and pricing offered to its consumers.  The idea that MetroPCS, about one-tenth the size of Verizon, has market power is nonsense.  As my colleague Tom Hazlett explains, restrictions on MetroPCS ... Net Neutrality, the MetroPCS Complaint, and Low-Income Consumers

Manne and Wright on Search Neutrality

Josh and I have just completed a white paper on search neutrality/search bias and the regulation of search engines.  The paper is this year’s first in the ICLE Antitrust & Consumer Protection White Paper Series: If Search Neutrality Is the Answer, What’s the Question? Geoffrey A. Manne (Lewis & Clark Law School and ICLE) and ... Manne and Wright on Search Neutrality

DOJ clears Google-ITA

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 ... DOJ clears Google-ITA