12.02.10
Gemini version available ♊︎Google Antitrust Scrutiny in EU a Result of Microsoft Smear Campaign, Bong [sic] Failing
Summary: Failing to compete against Google, Microsoft still abuses the legal system along with its partners, but a lot of the press misses this main story
A few months ago we wrote about several of Microsoft’s partners banding together to complain about Google [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. It was merely the latest wave of Microsoft proxies doing such a thing and a detailed analysis of the players had been offered to support the claim. Now that we learn about antitrust pressure on Google we are disappointed to find journalists neglecting to mention Microsoft (except in a few places) and the MSBBC coverage is atrocious. Ars Technica too prefers not to mention Microsoft’s obvious role:
The European Commission announced Tuesday that it has opened a formal antitrust investigation into allegations that Google unfairly gives preference to its own services over that of competing vertical search services in search results. The investigation was sparked by complaints from other search service providers that Google ranks their results much lower in both unpaid and paid results rankings, and uses its overarching dominance in online search to plug its own services instead.
Those who cannot remember what Microsoft does here (as well as in previous years) need only read older posts. Google is far from perfectly innocent, but what Microsoft does here is inexcusable.
Carlo Piana, a lawyer who fought against Microsoft in Europe (for Samba), writes in Identi.ca that “it’s about creating b[a]ckground noise” and later on he explains: “I am in disagreement w/ Google on how they control their algorithms (sued ‘em), but this antitrust probe doesn’t hold water IMHO” (comparisons to Microsoft are improper for many reasons too). █
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twitter said,
December 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Here are the links which document Microsoft and Foundem’s cooperative attack on Google. The background story is Microsoft’s nearly decade old slog against Google. Sadly, this attack seems to have gained traction, with even RMS pointing to a story about it.
2/25 Many in the mainstream press notice the connection between Microsoft and Foundem, M$ funding of trade group ICOMP. Hypocrisy noted.
4/6 More disclosures, ICOMP wrote parts of the EU complaint. Hypocrisy noticed.
9/6 Microsoft connection to Foundem, SourceTools, myTriggers and TradeComet as they make trouble for Google in Texas. “Consumer Watchdog” shown as Microsoft astroturfer. Groklaw exposes the details of the Texas case.
9/13 more about the involvement of astroturfers LawMedia Group and Consumer Watchdog
9/16 another source notices the Foundem connection to Microsoft and details the Texas harassment.
We now know the sad result of Microsoft’s FUD against the Google/Yahoo deal. Yahoo was consumed and is now essentially a subsidiary of Microsoft but it did Microsoft little good. Customers walked out of Yahoo and Bing’s small gain in search market share quickly evaporated. Hopefully, the US DOJ and other regulators will have notice the result of their mistake and take some corrective action. It’s apparent that Microsoft is so user hostile that they can’t win despite their desktop monopoly advantage and all of their cheating. Allowing Microsoft to do this only destroys useful business and prolongs Microsoft’s inevitable collapse.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
The sad thing is that they now use the same tactics against IBM (in Europe too) because GNU/Linux is central in so-called ‘cloud’ computing. Regulators are being bamboozled by mobbyists and paid “satellite proxies” as IBM called them. IBM and Google should work together to expose these AstroTurf actions and have Microsoft fined in a major way for it.
twitter Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 6:51 pm
In an unrelated case, GreenPeace is fighting entryism with trade secret law. Chemical companies hired PR firms to do infiltrate and disrupt efforts to oppose GM food and other nasty business.
Let’s hope that kind of abusive behavior is targeted by law enforcement too. Microsoft regularly infiltrates competitors, trade shows and online discussion groups with the same goals. It’s a waste of money only an abusive monopoly can afford and society should put a stop to it.