8/10/2019 Contra Google.pdf
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Online-search is an indispensable tool of daily life.Consumers
search for flights and train times, forinformation about whats on
at the cinema, for
the latest news, for the best price of a camera,for job-openings
and where to rent an apartment,for a holiday or an insurance policy
in fact, forabsolutely anything and everything!
Google now processes on average over 40,000search queries every
second that translates toover 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2
trillionsearches per year worldwide. This is an impressiveservice
delivered for free to consumers so thatto google is now synonymous
with to search
the world over. But how does this affect indexedwebsites of
competing enterprises, Europesconsumers and society as a whole?
Since Google is the gateway to the Internet,consumers should be
presented with the mostrelevant search results for their particular
query,based on a selection mechanism that applies toall websites,
including Google`s own offerings.Currently, however, Google`s
results pages are notthe result of a neutral mechanism. Rather,
manyresults have been included by Google to promote
its own services, even if they do not provide themost relevant
answer to the query. Such practicescause consumer harm.
Searching on Google entails a dramatic conflictof interest: With
over 90 % market share in EUMember States, Google today operates a
quasi-monopolistic search engine. At the same timeGoogle has
expanded its areas of business beyondsearch and search advertising
into a multimediaportal of content, price comparison sites, maps
andmore commercial services in adjacent markets,
competing as well with a wide range of innovativeenterprises
represented by OIP, ENPA and EMMA.This leads Google to systematic
preferentialtreatment of its own offerings in search results
diverting users away from more relevant resultsfrom competing
services. This affects consumerchoice and reduces rivals`
incentives to innovateand invest.
Since 2010, complainants from many EU countrieshave formally
presented their concerns before theEuropean Commission. The list of
complainants
includes the associations of Spanish and Germanpublishers (AEDE,
BDZV, VDZ) and companies of allshapes and sizes across the EU, as
well as BEUC,the European Consumer Organization representingthe
interests of millions of European consumers.
During the past four years, the EuropeanCommission undertook
important steps to seethrough this complex matter and opened
aninvestigation. In response, Google has proposedcommitments to
settle the case. However, none of
these proposals remedy the competition concerns.In many
respects, they would reinforce Google`smarket dominance and further
distort competition.
National stakeholders and EuropeanInstitutions have to decide
how to deal withthis important matter. What should bedone and how
should politics react?
That is why we call upon Members of the nationalParliaments, of
the European Parliament, the
Member States Governments and the Presidentand Members of the
European Commission: Takethe time to consider the concerns of
Europesconsumer organisations and businesses regardingGoogles
proposed remedies.
Stop the quasi-monopolistic searchengine self-promoting its
owncommercial products and services. Donot adopt the proposed
settlement.
Tis is crucial to safeguard innovation andfair competition for
the benefit of Europeanconsumers and businesses.We call for a
public debate aboutopenness and fairness on the
Internet.
Francine Cunningham
ENPA Executive Director
www.enpa.be www.magazinemedia.eu www.openinternetproject.net
Max von Abendroth
EMMA Executive Director
Thierry Orsoni
Secrtaire Gnral OIP
How Googleis not asimpartial as it seems to be
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