S Korea anti-trust agency probes Google

AFP, SEOUL: South Korea's anti-trust agency is investigating Google for alleged abuse of its market dominance, a report said yesterday, a week after the EU filed anti-trust charges against the US tech giant.
The probe by the South's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is focused on whether Google is unfairly forcing smartphone makers to use its Android operating system, Yonhap news agency said.
Officials from the FTC visited the firm's Seoul office last week for an "on-site inspection," Yonhap added.
The FTC declined to confirm or deny the report, while no Google spokesperson was immediately available to comment.
The reported probe came after the EU filed new anti-trust charges on July 14 against Google's advertising business, accusing it of restricting some websites from displaying ads from Google's competitors.
It is one of three EU cases now pending against Google, including charges filed in April over the company's Android operating system.
The FTC had filed charges five years ago on complaints by Seoul search engine operators that Google was forcing handset makers to preload Google's search engine on their Android-powered mobiles.
But in 2013, the FTC concluded that Google's share of the local online search engine market was too small to threaten fair competition or limit consumer choice.

 

S Korea anti-trust agency probes Google

AFP, SEOUL: South Koreas anti-trust agency is investigating Google for alleged abuse of its market dominance, a report said yesterday, a week after the EU filed anti-trust charges against the US tech giant. The probe by the Souths Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is focused on whether Google is unfairly forcing smartphone makers to use its Android operating system, Yonhap news agency said. Officials from the FTC visited the firms Seoul office last week for an on-site inspection, Yonhap added. The FTC declined to confirm or deny the report, while no Google spokesperson was immediately available to comment. The reported probe came after the EU filed new anti-trust charges on July 14 against Googles advertising business, accusing it of restricting some websites from displaying ads from Googles competitors. It is one of three EU cases now pending against Google, including charges filed in April over the companys Android operating system. The FTC had filed charges five years ago on complaints by Seoul search engine operators that Google was forcing handset makers to preload Googles search engine on their Android-powered mobiles. But in 2013, the FTC concluded that Googles share of the local online search engine market was too small to threaten fair competition or limit consumer choice.