Taking on big tech: where does Australia stand?
In this crossposting from The Conversation, The University of Melbourne’s Caron Beaton-Wells explores the realities of Australia’s inquiry into Facebook and Google.
Big tech is under fire in Europe. In its latest sting, the European Commission has slapped Google with an eye-watering €4.3 billion (AU$6.8 billion) fine for anti-competitive tying of its Android operating system to its in-house search engine and web browser.
The decision follows the Commission’s €2.4 billion (AU$3.5 billion) fine against the company for giving illegal advantage to its comparison shopping service, just over a year ago.
And the search company is not alone in feeling the heat from Brussels. Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft have all been on the receiving end of what some see as a “techlash” reflecting anti-US bias and protectionism.
