Microsoft Criticizes Google's Possible Settlement With FTC
As the Federal Trade Commission is poised to allow Google to emerge from the antitrust probe without having to make major changes, Microsoft is crying foul.
Google is reportedly close to resolve an antitrust probe with a voluntary agreement and a consent decree on the company's use of patents, according to Bloomberg News.
That means Google will voluntarily change some of its business practices, including how it uses content from other websites and allows advertisers to export data.
Microsoft has accused Google of crushing competitors and harming consumers by abusing its dominance in Internet search and growing dominance in online video and smartphones.
"Hopefully, Google will wake up to a new year with a resolution to change its ways and start to conform with the antitrust laws," Dave Heiner, Microsoft?s deputy general counsel, wrote in a blog post Wednesday. "If not, then 2013 hopefully will be the year when antitrust enforcers display the resolve that Google continues to lack."
Google claims that it has not done anything wrong. It says it simply gives people quick and easy access to the information they want.
But even under "the bright lights of regulatory scrutiny on two continents," Heiner said Google is not on its best behavior.
Heiner rehashed complaints that date back from 2011 that Google has not handed over the data Microsoft needs to improve the viewing of YouTube videos on Windows smartphones.
"Last month we learned from YouTube that senior executives at Google told them not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows phones," Heiner wrote.
Google claims that it had worked with Microsoft for several years to help bring YouTube on Windows phones.
That means Google will voluntarily change some of its business practices, including how it uses content from other websites and allows advertisers to export data.
Microsoft has accused Google of crushing competitors and harming consumers by abusing its dominance in Internet search and growing dominance in online video and smartphones.
"Hopefully, Google will wake up to a new year with a resolution to change its ways and start to conform with the antitrust laws," Dave Heiner, Microsoft?s deputy general counsel, wrote in a blog post Wednesday. "If not, then 2013 hopefully will be the year when antitrust enforcers display the resolve that Google continues to lack."
Google claims that it has not done anything wrong. It says it simply gives people quick and easy access to the information they want.
But even under "the bright lights of regulatory scrutiny on two continents," Heiner said Google is not on its best behavior.
Heiner rehashed complaints that date back from 2011 that Google has not handed over the data Microsoft needs to improve the viewing of YouTube videos on Windows smartphones.
"Last month we learned from YouTube that senior executives at Google told them not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows phones," Heiner wrote.
Google claims that it had worked with Microsoft for several years to help bring YouTube on Windows phones.