Google v. Almost Everyone

[Kowani]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technolo ... on-google/

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/google ... -and-data/

You’ve probably used google. It’s near impossible not to do so in the modern world. Yet that same omnipresence is what earned them the ire of so many people. And, in an unprecedented level of government coordination, almost every state (Save California and Alabama), Puerto Rico, DC, and various other US territories have come together in a major sweeping antitrust investigation, reminiscent of the ones under Teddy Roosevelt, along with the federal government. This is, perhaps, the turning point for Big Tech, as more people start to catch on to their shenanigans.

So, NSG…What is the future of Google, and Silicon Valley in general? And will this go anywhere?

[The Emerald Legion]

Google is fucked.

No company that big and far reaching can be perceived as political and stay untouched.

[Cekoviu]

I don't really care. I use Android, Play Store, Gmail, and the 8.8.8.8 DNS server, but those are the only Google things I use with any degree of regularity. I use either Firefox or Vivaldi depending on the situation, DuckDuckGo for searching, and block analytics/ads with Privacy Badger and uBO. I'd be fine with switching to LineageOS, some other mail client, and a different backup DNS server if necessary.

[-Ocelot-]

Another market Alphabet (aka Google) is dominating is the browser market. We are currently a Firefox away from nearly total Chrome dominance. This wouldn't be a problem except Google has designed websites that only run with Chrome. Try running Google Earth with Firefox.

They've also tried to de-throne Twitch with Youtube Gaming and they are currently trying to substitute Spotify, also with Youtube. Nothing is safe from Alphabet.

[Purpelia]

Google seriously needs to be broken up. Plain and simple.

[Greater vakolicci haven]

At least with google you know it'll work. With most of the other tech companies that isn't guaranteed.

[Cekoviu]

Another market Alphabet (aka Google) is dominating is the browser market. We are currently a Firefox away from nearly total Chrome dominance. This wouldn't be a problem except Google has designed websites that only run with Chrome. Try running Google Earth with Firefox.

They've also tried to de-throne Twitch with Youtube Gaming and they are currently trying to substitute Spotify, also with Youtube. Nothing is safe from Alphabet.

Do people use Google Earth still? I haven't touched it in years. But yeah, that's stupid that it only runs in Google Chrome. Doesn't seem to run even in Chromium-based browsers, which shouldn't be a functionality issue.

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Google seriously needs to be broken up. Plain and simple.

Why? For the crime of being a successful company?

[Heloin]

Google seriously needs to be broken up. Plain and simple.

Why? For the crime of being a successful company?

For the crime of being a Monopoly.

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Why? For the crime of being a successful company?

For the crime of being a Monopoly.

I heard that's not illegal in America.

[Pilipinas and Malaya]

Can Youtube just go back to the days when there were barely any copyright strikes?

It just happens that so many creators get copyright striked and most of it isn’t even a full song, scene, it’s just some music or known scene then, bam! Copyrighted.

They should make the copyrighting process slower.

[Pacomia]

Google, Amazon, Apple and other tech companies are in serious violation of anitrust laws, have huge monopolies, and need to be broken up, plain and simple.

Yet I type this on an Apple phone using the Google Chrome search browser on a site whose internet is likely run by Amazon.

Guess I’m a hypocrite then.

EDIT: why is california not doing an antitrust investigation
did bapple and goggle bribe the state government

[Liriena]

Well damn, I thought the day would never come. Good job, state governments.

[-Ocelot-]

Google seriously needs to be broken up. Plain and simple.

Why? For the crime of being a successful company?

There's a difference between being successful and purposely preventing competitors from competing.

Steam, for example, dominate the sector in the PC market but other competitors (GoG, Epic, Uplay, BattleNet etc.) have no problem competing. Steam keeps dominating because it's a successful service but it doesn't prevent other companies from competing with each other.

[Pacomia]

Well damn, I thought the day would never come. Good job, state governments.

I imagine the national government wouldn’t have done that

Just one of the many reasons I love federalism.

[Liriena]

Can Youtube just go back to the days when there were barely any copyright strikes?

It just happens that so many creators get copyright striked and most of it isn’t even a full song, scene, it’s just some music or known scene then, bam! Copyrighted.

They should make the copyrighting process slower.

The problem there isn't Google per se, but rather the existing copyright laws and the overzealous copyright holders who'll get platforms like Google in trouble if Google doesn't implement a harsh, swift copyright enforcement system.

[Kernen]

For the crime of being a Monopoly.

I heard that's not illegal in America.

Oh, it is. It creates anti-competitive forces on the market, which is bad for the free market.

[Nova Cyberia]

Google has a stranglehold on its market so it's nice to see the states are finally recognizing the Google monopoly for what it is.

Google, like Facebook and Twitter, should be regulated like a media outlet. They claim to be impartial which they obviously are not.

[Ghost Land]

I hope it does "go [some]where", to use OP's phrasing. Google has a near-monopoly on several tech sub-industries and its products actively harm the privacy of its users. I still remember the PRISM revelations of a few years ago, and yet even now, Google trackers are on virtually every site, and it was actually scary what I found when I requested an archive of my Google data last month: among other things, my entire search and YouTube history from Chrome dating back to January 2015 (when I created my Gmail account). Google's success has largely been due to buying out other tech companies and hijacking them, and copious use of lawsuits to get their way. And while TheTopTens is virtually the exact opposite of an authoritative source, I do agree with nine of the top ten reasons listed there as of right now.

Google, Amazon, Apple and other tech companies are in serious violation of anitrust laws, have huge monopolies, and need to be broken up, plain and simple.

Yet I type this on an Apple phone using the Google Chrome search browser on a site whose internet is likely run by Amazon.

Guess I’m a hypocrite then.

EDIT: why is california not doing an antitrust investigation
did bapple and goggle bribe the state government

I'm typing this in Firefox on Windows 7. I'm not saying Microsoft is 100% innocent either. Of course California wouldn't do anything; Google is based there and they probably get lots of money out of the Google people.

I will concede, however, that Google Maps is probably the best out there when it comes to maps; only OpenStreetMap comes close. The alternative is just plain inaccurate for my area.

[Heloin]

For the crime of being a Monopoly.

I heard that's not illegal in America.

You'd be wrong.

[Kernen]

Google has a stranglehold on its market so it's nice to see the states are finally recognizing the Google monopoly for what it is.

Google, like Facebook and Twitter, should be regulated like a media outlet. They claim to be impartial which they obviously are not.

I mean, we don't really regulate media outlets for content, either.

[Nova Cyberia]

I heard that's not illegal in America.

Oh, it is. It creates anti-competitive forces on the market, which is bad for the free market.

I think he means it de facto isn't, despite being a de jure crime.

[Liriena]

Google has a stranglehold on its market so it's nice to see the states are finally recognizing the Google monopoly for what it is.

Google, like Facebook and Twitter, should be regulated like a media outlet. They claim to be impartial which they obviously are not.

I mean, we don't really regulate media outlets for content, either.

Nova Cyberia coming out in support of reinstating the fairness doctrine to own the libs. You hate to see it, folks.

[Nova Cyberia]

Google has a stranglehold on its market so it's nice to see the states are finally recognizing the Google monopoly for what it is.

Google, like Facebook and Twitter, should be regulated like a media outlet. They claim to be impartial which they obviously are not.

I mean, we don't really regulate media outlets for content, either.

I mean, yeah, but they still claim to be impartial in order to avoid being regulated the same way media outlets are.

[Nova Cyberia]

I mean, we don't really regulate media outlets for content, either.

Nova Cyberia coming out in support of reinstating the fairness doctrine to own the libs. You hate to see it, folks.

That's not exactly what I had in mind, but I appreciate the support.