Google Searches Favour It's Own Retailers....no, Really!

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-32315649
What can/should the EU do about this latest multinational outrage?

[retrocop]

Well I suppose they could give them a massive fine and not put it through the books.Then they can have a divi up amongst themselves.That's how the MEP gravy train works doesn't it? :-)

[Gromit]

Scumbag company. Everything they deserve, well done EU.

[ToraToraTora]

They've only filed a complaint gromit, don't get too excited!

[hc4361]

What browser, search engine and mobile phone do you use, gromit?

[Gromit]

Safari.
Duck Duck Go. (Recent convert from Bing)
iPhone 6.

Never use Google Docs or Google maps.

What people fail to understand is that Google's product is is YOU. You are tracked and your habits and interests are mined and sold to advertisers. If you value your privacy steer clear of this sinister company.

[hc4361]

And what exactly do these advertisers do with my information? I get next to zero spam emails and use an adblocker.

[aelmpvw]

i'm getting worried now, i wasn't aware that they could force you to buy something you didn't want

[venator]

This isn't news. the dogs in the street have known this for years

[joggerjayne]

A company abusing a dominant market position? Yeah, who'd 've thought!

It wouldn't matter so much if Google hadn't become the online watchword for ... best, most accurate, most reliable of everything.

"I'm trying to find the best insurance quote"
"Have you Googled it?"

"I want to know if it will be sunny this weekend"
"Have you Googled it?"

"I'm looking for the best value hotel in Brighton"
"Have you Googled it?"

In reality, in each case, the reply should have been ..
"We'll don't bother with Google. They will just give you the answer that makes them the most money!"

[jno]

jj, Google is like Hoover, a verb that transcends trade marks. So you can google something without using Google, as you can hoover something with your Henry.

[ll_billym]

What the EU should do is to code a search engine that is at least as good as Google, I think we would all appreciate having two equal web portals.

However to really compete they will have to also create a free operating system used by billions of smartphones that has the new search engine baked into it.

However, both of these things are extremely hard to do - just ask Microsoft - however if you can do it then one of the rewards one gets is controlling what links lots of people see.