The
CEO of a British search engine company has warned Google that the
company could be sued if it doesn’t change its search result tactics.
According to Shivaun Raff, the co-founder and CEO of Foundem, Google faces “a tsunami of follow-on litigation” in case it fails to alter its search results in a negotiated settlement. Shivaun Raff told during the interview that the search engine’s need to avoid huge lawsuits from the entities affected by its previous dominance will mean that the case in question puts it in a strong position. So, everyone who thinks that the search giant will easily get away with superficial remedies is wrong.
It isn’t a secret that the EC has been investing Google for the last two years and while the majority think that Google will cave into Europe's demands it could get messy. In the meantime, the EC is expected to provide more details about how the discussions with Google are going on.
However, if Google fails to come to a "settlement agreement" with the European Commission, the search engine will be forced through the courts, which would undoubtedly lead to an "infringement decision", allowing all other rivals to sue the company as well. In case the search engine settles, it could avoid admission of guilt and following lawsuits.
Actually, Foundem has been at odds with the most popular search engine for the last three years when the company complained that Google has favored its own products and pushed the rivals' down its search engine results.
According to Raff, Google might have modified its results in order to use "clear and conspicuous labeling" for its products. A key element that the engine used to knock out spam websites from its index also hit "vertical" search companies like Foundem, which must be prevented.
According to Shivaun Raff, the co-founder and CEO of Foundem, Google faces “a tsunami of follow-on litigation” in case it fails to alter its search results in a negotiated settlement. Shivaun Raff told during the interview that the search engine’s need to avoid huge lawsuits from the entities affected by its previous dominance will mean that the case in question puts it in a strong position. So, everyone who thinks that the search giant will easily get away with superficial remedies is wrong.
It isn’t a secret that the EC has been investing Google for the last two years and while the majority think that Google will cave into Europe's demands it could get messy. In the meantime, the EC is expected to provide more details about how the discussions with Google are going on.
However, if Google fails to come to a "settlement agreement" with the European Commission, the search engine will be forced through the courts, which would undoubtedly lead to an "infringement decision", allowing all other rivals to sue the company as well. In case the search engine settles, it could avoid admission of guilt and following lawsuits.
Actually, Foundem has been at odds with the most popular search engine for the last three years when the company complained that Google has favored its own products and pushed the rivals' down its search engine results.
According to Raff, Google might have modified its results in order to use "clear and conspicuous labeling" for its products. A key element that the engine used to knock out spam websites from its index also hit "vertical" search companies like Foundem, which must be prevented.
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