Microsoft Go To EU For Google Complaint

Microsoft have revealed that they plan to file a European Antitrust Complaint to the European Union regarding Google, whom microsoft claim are trying to ‘edge’ them out of the search market.

The software maker, who have their own search engine ‘Bing’ claim that Google used their dominant position in the search market to restrict the growth and abilities of Bing.

They cite Google (who hold over 80% of the search engine market) used a number of tactics to ensure that Bing could not provide as higher quality results, including the restriction of Bings indexing spiders from Google owned content such as youtube. The full list can be seen below.

• 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.

This is the latest in a long line of complaints and court cases regarding Google’s tactics and policies, but whether the EU rules in favour of Microsoft remains to be seen, however if so the world will be watching to see what effect it could have on the search market and SEO.

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