I Learned 2 Things Today

The first is that when you clear private data from the Chrome browser it keeps data for Google and Youtube, which is owned by Google.

The second, and completely related thing that I learned today is that the DoJ has finally filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Google.

I’m a bit dubious of the lawsuit, it reeks of William Barr rat-f%$#ery, it appears to be timed to maximize the political benefit to Trump and his Evil Minions, but it’s been pretty clear for a while that much of tech company profitability is based on extracting monopoly rents.

I do hope that Google, and Facebook, and (particularly) Amazon get nailed to the wall, but I think that this effort is more likely to benefit the monopolists than reign them in:

The Justice Department accused Google on Tuesday of illegally protecting its monopoly over search and search advertising, the government’s most significant challenge to a tech company’s market power in a generation and one that could reshape the way consumers use the internet.

In a much-anticipated lawsuit, the agency accused Google of locking up deals with giant partners like Apple and throttling competition through exclusive business contracts and agreements.

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“For many years,” the agency said in its 57-page complaint, “Google has used anticompetitive tactics to maintain and extend its monopolies in the markets for general search services, search advertising and general search text advertising — the cornerstones of its empire.”

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Google called the suit “deeply flawed.” But the agency’s action signaled a new era for the technology sector. It reflects pent-up and bipartisan frustration toward a handful of companies — Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook in particular — that have evolved from small and scrappy companies into global powerhouses with outsize influence over commerce, speech, media and advertising. Conservatives like President Trump and liberals like Senator Elizabeth Warren have called for more restraints over Big Tech.

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Democratic lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee released a sprawling report on the tech giants two weeks ago, also accusing Google of controlling a monopoly over online search and the ads that come up when users enter a query.

“A significant number of entities — spanning major public corporations, small businesses and entrepreneurs — depend on Google for traffic, and no alternate search engine serves as a substitute,” the report said. The lawmakers also accused Apple, Amazon and Facebook of abusing their market power. They called for more aggressive enforcement of antitrust laws, and for Congress to consider strengthening them.

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He put the investigation under the control of his deputy, Jeffrey Rosen, who in turn hired Mr. Shores, an aide from a major law firm, to oversee the case and other technology matters. Mr. Barr’s grip over the investigation tightened when the head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, Makan Delrahim, recused himself from the investigation because he represented Google in its acquisition of the ad service DoubleClick in 2007.

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This sort of revolving door is precisely why we haven’t seen meaningful antitrust lately:  That revolving door is tremendously lucrative.

While it is possible that a new Democratic administration would review the strategy behind the case, experts said it was unlikely that it would be withdrawn under new leadership.

Your mouth to God’s ear.

 And if you are wondering, I am VERY MUCH aware of the irony involved in my saying this on a Google owned platform.

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