Google Criticism (must read)

The Problem with the ➡️ Google Monopoly in Search & Advertising

Google holds a dominant monopoly in search (approx. 90-95% share) and digital advertising, utilizing exclusive contracts, such as with Apple, and self-preferencing practices to stifle competition. Regulators, including the EU and US DOJ, have found Google guilty of illegally maintaining this power, harming publishers with lower ad revenues, and inflating costs for advertisers.

Key Problems with the Google Monopoly:

  • Search Engine Dominance: Google controls ~90% of search on computers and ~95% on smartphones, maintaining this through illegal, multibillion-dollar exclusive agreements to be the default search engine on devices.
  • AdTech and Advertising Power: Google controls key parts of the digital advertising ecosystem (ad server, exchange, and auction), allowing it to favor its own technology, charge high fees, and force publishers to accept lower revenue.
  • Antitrust Actions: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the European Commission have found that Google violated antitrust laws to maintain its dominance, with the EU fining the company €2.95 billion for abusive practices in ad tech.
  • Impact on Innovation and Competition: By acting as a "walled garden," Google restricts competitors' access to data and stifles potential rivals in search and AI, making it difficult for new, privacy-focused, or better-performing alternatives to emerge.
  • Economic Disadvantage for Publishers: Lawsuits allege that Google's control over the ad market (via tools like DoubleClick and AdX) forces publishers to receive less revenue for their ad space.

Potential Remedies and Outlook:

  • Structural Changes: Proposals include forcing Google to divest parts of its business, such as its ad exchange (AdX) or browser (Chrome).
  • Ending Exclusive Contracts: Prohibiting payments to companies like Apple to be the default search engine, aiming to increase competition.
  • Data Sharing: Requiring Google to share search data with rivals to enable better competition.

The landmark 2024-2025 rulings have officially labeled Google a monopolist, marking the most significant challenge to big tech dominance in decades.

*****

Why is the Google Monopoly Bad for Democracy?

Critics, legal experts, and regulators argue that Google's monopoly in search and advertising represents a profound threat to democracy by centralizing control over the "information commons" and the financial survival of independent journalism.

1. Erosion of Independent Journalism

A free press is the "backbone" of democracy, yet Google’s dominance has systematically defunded it.

  • Ad Revenue Siphon: Google and Meta control approximately 60% of all U.S. digital advertising revenue. Billions of dollars that once funded local and investigative reporting now go to Google, leading to "news deserts" in over half of U.S. counties.
  • Lack of Fair Compensation: Google has been accused of using publishers' content—including for its AI features—without authorization or fair payment, displacing the very audiences and revenues essential for professional journalism.
  • Publisher Dependency: News organizations are forced into a "vortex" of dependency, where they cannot afford to opt out of Google’s services for fear of losing search visibility, even if the terms are exploitative.

2. Algorithmic Gatekeeping and Manipulation

When one company decides what is "relevant," it gains the power to shape public perception without accountability.

  • The "Gatekeeper" Dilemma: Google acts as a primary entry point to the internet. Critics argue this allows it to favor its own services and potentially suppress dissenting or alternative viewpoints.
  • Echo Chambers and Polarization: AI-driven search algorithms can intensify societal polarization by reinforcing user biases and echo chambers, which destabilizes democratic discourse.
  • Hidden Political Choices: What the public sees is not a "neutral" calculation but a set of political and commercial choices encoded into algorithms that are presented as objective.

3. Centralization of Power vs. Public Oversight

Democracy relies on the public—not a small group of executives—making choices about what we see online.

  • Lack of Choice: Monopolistic practices, such as paying billions to be the default search engine on iPhones, prevent competitors with potentially safer or more private options from reaching users.
  • Surveillance and Privacy: Google's business model relies on harvesting massive amounts of personal data to target ads, which fuels "surveillance advertising" that can be used for manipulative misinformation campaigns.

In summary: The collapse of journalism and the concentration of information control in a single private entity are seen as structural threats that weaken the ability of citizens to make informed decisions.

Author: Google Gemini ;-), Date: 12.02.26. - Work in progress. Suggestions and help welcome.