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Comment by s_kilk | Hacker News Reader

I find the manic defense of corporate interests over the interests of the public more sickening.

I just don't understand how surfacing affiliated ads over others on Google own sites is a big deal? They're a revenue generating service, of course they're going to favour ad networks and channels which benefit them the most financially. To fine a private business €2.4bn for conducting pretty standard business practices.

Because the user has an expectation that they'll be shown the best results, not the most self-shilled results.

Surely as a user you'd view promoted shopping results in Google with a pinch of salt and look around first? I just don't agree that warrants a €2.4bn fine. Again, unless I've misunderstood the full picture

> Surely as a user you'd view promoted shopping results in Google with a pinch of salt and look around first?

Most users don't.

Welcome to America

America? I thought this was Google vs the EU?

Americans seem to think this is the US versus the EU.

As an American who wishes his government protected him as well as the EU is protecting their citizens, I kinda resent being grouped in here.

Google fans would like to make this about US vs. the EU, because it misdirects away from Google's illegal actions. But multiple US companies asked for and supported this investigation against Google. And I wish our government laid down the same charges against them here.

My understanding is that the same anti-trust protections exist in the US, perhaps even stronger ones, but were not applied.

Is this just a case of lobbying corruption?

I summarized the bulk of the issue here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14644723

The FTC's staff have previously recommended filing charges against Google, and then the people up the ladder buried it.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com