Germany launches antitrust investigation into Google Maps

On Tuesday, the German anti-cartel agency announced that it had launched an investigation into Google Maps amid concerns that some restrictions were providing the company an unfair advantage. "The procedure seeks to analyse any anti-competitive restrictions imposed by Google Maps Platform to...

EU has put off the Big Tech regulation for too long, says Antitrust Chief

Debates have long been going on to curb the anti-competitive growth of firms like Apple and Google. Large-scale legislation is underway and internal EU politicians are discussing the digital policy, regulations, and competition.

Margreth Vestager, Chief of Antitrust, said that the Europ...

AMAZON SLAPPED WITH AN ANTITRUST LAWSUIT IN THE UNITED STATES

Highlights

• This is not the first instance when the Jeff Bezos-led company has been accused of dominating the market

• The attorney general for the District of Columbia, Karl Racine said “Amazon has used its dominant position in the online retail market to win...

ALIBABA EXPECTS NO MATERIAL IMPACT AFTER BEING FINED $2.75 BILLION

Highlights –

• Alibaba expects no material impact after being fined $2.75 billion.
• Alibaba was fined by China’s antitrust regulator for abusing market dominance.
• Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd shares rose as much as 9% in Hong Kong tr...

APPLE INC. CRITICIZED BY U.S.SENATORS FOR NOT TESTIFYING ON ANTI-TRUST ISSUES

Highlights

• Tech giant Apple Inc is refusing to testify at an hearing on competition issues regarding the mobile app stores

• As per a statement given by senators Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Mike Lee, a Republican, they had written to Tim Cook, Chief Executive of...

CHINESE ANTITRUST REGULATORS LIKELY TO LEVY ALIBABA GROUP’S ON RECORD FINE

Highlights –

• Chinese antitrust regulator's likely to levy Alibaba Group’s on record fine.
• The fine is likely to surpass $975 million, an amount paid by Qualcomm in 2015.
• Chinese regulators have been stinging criticism on Jac...

FACEBOOK CHALLENGES THE US FTC'S LANDMARK ANTITRUST CASE

Highlights

• Along with challenging the case, Facebook has also asked a judge to shelve the case, and has called it ‘nonsensical’ in its complaint

• The Mark-Zuckerberg led company was accused by the FTC of anti-competitive behaviour and, had also urged t...

GOOGLE ASKS US JUDGE TO TRANSFER ANTITRUST LAWSUIT FILED BY STATES TO CALIFORNIA

Highlights

• Google has asked a US judge in Texas to transfer an antitrust lawsuit filed by 10 states to a court in California

• The first case that alleged it monopolised online display advertising was filed in the month of May by an advertiser, and it was followed ...

KFTC REVIEW THE DEAL BY KOREAN AIR TO BUY ASIANA AIRLINES INC.

Highlights –

• KFTC review the deal by Korean Air to buy Asiana Airlines Inc.
• KFTC will see if the merger could constitute a monopoly or hurt market competition.
• Korean Air in November 2020 said that it will acquire its smaller rival As...

GOOGLE RESPONDS TO U.S. ANTITRUST LAWSUIT, DENIES MISUSE OF POWER

Highlights

• Google said it didn’t make use of its multibillion-dollar deals with other tech companies to safeguard its position as the primary online search engine

• The Alphabet-owned company used agreements with device makers like Apple, Samsung and LG in or...

38 U.S. STATES FILE ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST GOOGLE

Highlights

• The states are asking the court to stop Google’s illegal conduct and restore a competitive marketplace said the New York attorney general's office in a statement on Thursday

• The search engine giant was previously accused of using its dominanc...

FTC IN FINAL STAGE OF FILING ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST FACEBOOK

Highlights

• The FTC staff undertaking the investigation has urged the commissioners to file this lawsuit in federal court as it would allow the group of states led by New York to become a part of the suit

• It is being said that nearly 41 states are likely to sign o...

U.S. COURT WON’T REHEAR ARGUMENTS AGAINST QUALCOMM

Highlights

• The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a brief order said it would not rehear arguments over engagement of Qualcomm in anticompetitive patent-licensing practices to keep hold on the modem chip market

• Previously on August 11, a three-judge panel of the ...

U.S. JUDGE AMIT MEHTA SETS FIRST HEARING OF GOOGLE ANTITRUST LAWSUIT FOR OCTOBER 30

Highlights

• The search engine giant was sued by the Justice Department for $1 trillion after accusing it of illegally using its market muscle to keep rivals at bay in the biggest challenge to the power and influence of Big Tech in decades

• Lawyers for Google and th...

DECEMBER 19: LAST DATE FOR GOOGLE TO RESPOND TO US ANTITRUST LAWSUIT

Highlights

• According to a court filing on Friday, search engine giant Google has to respond to the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit by December 19

• The Justice Department accused Google of illegally maintaining its monopoly over search with the help...

AN ANTITRUST PANEL WILL RELEASE PROBE REPORTS ON AMERICA’S FOUR LARGEST TECH COMPANIES

Highlights –

• An antitrust panel will release probe reports on America’s four largest tech companies.
• The antitrust committee has received 1.3 million documents from the teach companies.
• CEOs of Facebook Inc., Amazon, Googl...

APPLE AND AMAZON LOCAL OFFICES IN ITALY SEARCHED BY EU ANTITRUST AUTHORITIES

Highlights: 

• Apple and Amazon are being probed by the European Antitrust authorities 
• Local offices in Italy searched 

The EU anti-trust body has been tightening its noose around the American corporate Amazon and Apple Inc. The latest ...

GOOGLE’S $2.1 BILLION BID FOR FITBIT COULD STAVE OFF EU ANTI-TRUST INVESTIGATION

Highlights –

• Google’s $2.1 Billion bid for Fitbit could stave off EU Anti-trust investigation.
• The deal was announced last year in November.
• Google is in competition with Apple and Samsung in the smartwatch market.
• Go...