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FTC report will recommend suing Google for antitrust violations, says the New York Times

FTC report will recommend suing Google for antitrust violations, says the New York Times

By Bryan Bishop

Source The New York Times

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The United States Federal Trade Commission has been investigating Google as part of an ongoing antitrust probe, and it appears the conclusion is that a lawsuit may in fact be warranted. The New York Times is reporting that the FTC staff is making the final tweaks on its internal memo — which runs longer than 100 pages — which will recommend to five FTC commissioners that further legal action be taken. At issue is whether Google has tweaked its search results to its own benefit, and hurt its competitors in the process. Adding fuel to the fire, it's also said that the FTC has begun building a legal team in case the case ends up going to court.

According to the Times any changes made to the memo will be minor, and not alter the overall recommendation. However, it's important to note that just because the recommendation is made doesn't mean that legal action is a foregone conclusion. A vote will still need to be held by the commissioners to decide whether to take things to the next step. Settlement, of course, is also an option — with every step the FTC takes towards filing a suit no doubt encouraging Google to come to the table just that much more. For the moment, however, Mountain View appears to have no concerns about the news, with the company tellings the Times in a statement that "We are happy to answer any questions that regulators have about our business."

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