The Japanese antitrust watchdog has launched an investigation into Google, during which it will be established whether this Internet giant is involved in the practice of using its position in the market to block competing services.
The Fair Trade Commission of the specified country, within the framework of the mentioned actions, focuses on allegations of potential violations of antitrust laws. This was reported by the media concerning a representative of the agency who was aware of the details of the trial process. The insider also stated that the watchdog intends to request information and opinions on the possible involvement of Google, whose main office is based in Mountain View, California, in the implementation of illegal practices from the public.
The agency is going to study whether the Internet giant has asked smartphone manufacturers to prioritize search services in such a way that it would be most beneficial to a company from the United States.
The actions of the Japanese watchdog are the first example when the regulator already at the initial stage of the investigation began to consult with third parties. Representatives of the agency told reporters about this. According to media reports, the scale of the investigation may expand, spreading to manufacturers of smartphones running on the Android operating system.
Google has also faced a trial in the United States. Local regulators have charged the Internet search giant with involvement in the practice of abusing its dominant position to limit the space of opportunities for startups and larger competitors, including Microsoft. This trial is the largest case of technological anti-monopoly in the United States for more than 20 years.
Google has announced cooperation with governments, including in Japan, as part of actions to support the Android mobile software ecosystem and about continuing to do so. The company’s statement, which was published on Monday, October 23, indicates that the openness and flexibility of the mentioned software guarantees users the ability to choose the device settings option according to their needs.
As we have reported earlier, Google Reportedly Plans to Sell Maps Data.
