Businesses want a monopoly. That’s not evil or illegal, it’s simply an acknowledgment that businesses strive to dominate their market. The effort to achieve that drives innovation. If a company’s products are so innovative they eclipse the competition, it can earn a legal monopoly.
Is that how Google wound up with 89% of the search engine market? The Department of Justice, in a landmark antitrust case, says no. The DOJ charges it is a result of illegal, anti-competitive practices. Our colleague Danny Goodwin explains in 20 slides how the charges, if true, harmed advertisers through higher costs and lower effectiveness. The trial wrapped up on Friday and is now in the hands of the judge to decide.
Constantine von Hoffman
Managing Editor
