Microsoft goes to EU over Google

Microsoft says it plans to file a European antitrust complaint against Google, accusing the firm of trying to edge it out of the search market.

The software maker claims that Google used its dominant position to restrict the growth of Microsoft services.

It cites a number of anti-competitive practices, including Google limiting the ability of Microsoft Bing to index web content.

Google said it was not surprised by the move and would happily explain itself.

In a detailed blog, Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, outlined the company’s grievances.

He wrote: “Our filing today focuses on a pattern of actions that Google has taken to entrench its dominance in the markets for online search and search advertising to the detriment of European consumers.”

The post goes on to list five different ways in which Google, according to Microsoft, has sought to control the search market.

Those are:

• Using technical measures to stop Microsoft’s search engine Bing from indexing content on Google-owned YouTube.
• Blocking Microsoft Smartphones from operating properly with YouTube.
• Controlling access to online copies of out-of-copyright books.
• Limiting the ability of businesses to reclaim “their own information” generated through Google advertising campaigns for use elsewhere.
• Compelling leading websites to only use Google search boxes on their pages.