14 DAY TRIAL // Google has gotten away cleanly from the FTC investigation in the US, but it will probably have to shed some blood to get rid of the similar EU investigation.
In Europe, competition regulators are investigating whether Google used its position as the king of search to destroy competition in the search market and beyond.
The investigation is ongoing, but some info has been leaking out. We already know, for example, that Google may concede to better labeling its own services when it adds them to search results, i.e. maps from Google Maps, weather info and everything else.
But it looks like the EU wants more than that, it wants Google to prop up competitors by placing them alongside its own products.
The idea is to present consumers with alternatives, though there's no indication on just who decides which alternatives are worth presenting.
After all, a search engine by its very definition presents alternatives, it displays a list of links to websites and products which should be the most relevant. But this isn't about the search results, it's about all the info that Google adds on top.
Google already lists alternatives to its own services when displaying financial results for example, besides Google Finance, there's a link to Yahoo Finance and MSN Money for example, each given equal weight.
The company may be pushed to do the same for Google Maps and other products. The EU at least, doesn't seem willing to alter the Google search algorithm.
Other concessions Google will have to make is to enable publishers to opt out of just some services, i.e. block Google News but still be available in search results.
Licensing Motorola FRAND patents will likely be included in the settlement as well. Android is an open question, though Microsoft and its gang made a formal and ridiculous complaint over Android, it's unclear whether the EU is looking into the matter.