india antitrust-law
Why is it wrong for google to show its own other products in its search results?
<p>Google is facing antitrust probe in India. I don't know about other countries but what Indian law is broken in google search? Google search is a private free product. Why is it bad to prefer its own other products like google-maps instead of bing-maps?</p>

<p><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/antitrust-probe-into-google-moves-into-next-phase/articleshow/48751439.cms" rel="noreferrer">http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/antitrust-probe-into-google-moves-into-next-phase/articleshow/48751439.cms</a></p>

<p>Its just free enterprise, right?</p>

<p>Well ... except when there is a law that says its not allowed. I am unfamiliar with Indian law but the relevant law in Australia is the Trade Practices Act which deals with this under the category of <a href="http://www.accc.gov.au/business/anti-competitive-behaviour/misuse-of-market-power" rel="nofollow">Misuse of Market Power</a>. In a nutshell:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A business with a substantial degree of power in a market is not allowed to use this power for the purpose of eliminating or substantially damaging a competitor or to prevent a business from entering into a market.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>By preferring their products over a competitor's in their search engine they are "... eliminating or substantially damaging a competitor ...".</p>

<p>I cannot add comments yet (darn low reputation), so I'm saying this here:</p>

<p>This same issue is very big in the EU. Google us under scrutiny for not providing equal advertisement/favoring their own products. According to <em>many</em> New York Times articles, this is the EU trying to promote their own businesses and decrease reliance on US companies; it is definitely not just righteousness. I am not sure if this is the same or even similar scenario in India. </p>

<p>At least in the U.S., this issue is known as <em>net-neutrality</em>. </p>
