Google’s Monopoly on Data

“Were Google a manufacturer, say, a monopoly such as it has over internet search would never be allowed. But three factors conspire to Google’s advantage. Firstly, digital services, however ubiquitous, seem less tangible and therefore do not appear so obvious a threat to commercial pluralism, innovation and to consumer interests.

Secondly, Google’s dominance is self-reinforcing, but also makes it more useful. Larger audiences improve Google’s data and make its products more accurate – as well as ever more impossible to avoid. As European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager acknowledged last week, we live in the Google age.

Thirdly, and perhaps most significantly, regulators simply cannot keep up with the pace of technological change and seem to be stuck fighting ethical, cultural and economic disruption issue by issue.”

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/19/google-dominates-search-real-problem-monopoly-data