Google Faces Antitrust Action by US Justice Department
According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Department of Justice is considering an antitrust lawsuit against Google because of the company’s advertising strength. The government has hired a top trial attorney, deposed witnesses, and issued subpoenas.
Although I’m not an antitrust lawyer, I’m at a loss to see how Google has anything close to a monopoly in online advertising. If its terms become too burdensome, smaller competitors will grow at its expense. Let the free market handle the issue for now.
If the government goes after Google Read more
Copyright Alliance – Beware of it
Following up on what I wrote about the Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2007…a bill designed to make it easy for virtually anyone to be convicted of copyright infringement, or even attempted infringement, by shifting the burden from the accuser to you.
The big money is lining up behind the bill with the formation of a new “Copyright Alliance.” Members include Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Association of American Publishers, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Microsoft, Viacom and Walt Disney.
This is an anti-consumer, anti-entrepreneur effort. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators to oppose it.
Moving in the other direction, Amazon.com is launching its own music download service that will be DRM-free, that is, you’ll be able to transfer songs purchased from one device to another.
