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A comment on Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine. Parent comment

Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by Finnucane on Sunday December 15, 2019 @12:08PM (#21797278)
That is actually how anti-trust regulation is supposed to work. Competitive markets for goods and services tend to produce better results, or at least, that is the line we hear in Econ 101. But capitalist growth tends to concentration of wealth and power—success grows toward monopoly. So government must wield the hammer of anti-trust to free markets.
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by ttoinou on Sunday December 15, 2019 @01:12PM (#21797780)
There's nothing wrong with an almost monopoly if no ones is forcing people to use the company services. No one is forcing users to use Google
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by Finnucane on Sunday December 15, 2019 @02:50PM (#21798501)
Sure, no one is ‘forcing’; there’s just very limited choice.
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by haolez on Sunday December 15, 2019 @12:57PM (#21797672)
Sometimes it's government policies themselves that unbalance the market and allow the proliferation of monopolies. I'm not sure it's the case with Google, though. Would appreciate a comment from someone more informed.
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by post_below on Wednesday December 18, 2019 @04:19AM (#21823179)
The answer is no. There aren't any significant policies (related to internet search, crawling or intellectual property) which create a barrier for little guys but which Google has the resources to handle (which is usually how regulation stifles disruption, sometimes by design).

Don't underestimate the EU though, given some of the ignorant tech regulation they've already passed, it could happen at some point.

As Bing has demonstrated, Google's dominance in search is a result of superior technology and a huge lead. Even a company with the resources of MS hasn't been able to do anything but follow behind and create almost good enough copies at each step.

Although to be fair that's what MS has always done so maybe a more nimble company might have a shot some day.

In the near future AI and machine learning coupled with computing advances could be a way into search for competitors if G doesn't get there first.

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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by ttoinou on Sunday December 15, 2019 @01:10PM (#21797772)
I would be interested in more information about this too. Maybe we can start with intellectual property, for example maybe Google patents that are enforced by governments laws and justice are a huge barrier of entry for potential competitors
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by scarface74 on Sunday December 15, 2019 @12:49PM (#21797610)
Because giving the government more power couldn’t possibly go wrong. What do you think are the chances that the Trump administration would go after Fox or a Democratic administration would go after a company full of “the liberal elite”?
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Re:Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine by Finnucane on Sunday December 15, 2019 @08:34PM (#21800206)
More power? It’s a power they’ve had for 100 years.
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