Billions of people worldwide use Google search daily. In the years after Google was created, it has managed to monopolize the search engine market. Google has used its popularity as a search engine to leverage other Google products and this does not sit well with other software companies and travel websites. Companies like Microsoft, TripAdvisor and Expedia must now bow down to the rules set by Google to ensure that their websites get top billing in web searches. Google’s supposed victims are now filing complaints with regulators even though they have stated that Google’s ranking algorithms do not affect their revenues.
Many companies, including software giant Microsoft have claimed that Google’s monopoly over the internet has had harmful effects on their businesses. Ironically, Microsoft was the target of such petitions some time back when it was the most dominant software company. These internet Companies are now looking to bring about anti-trust lawsuits against Google although they have claimed that Google’s search engine algorithms have not affected their revenues.
Contradictory Claims By Travel Websites
Google is proving to be most worrisome for travel websites like Kayak, Expedia and TripAdvisor. These companies are petitioning federal and state regulatory bodies to help control and reduce Google’s dominance. Expedia has stated that it is worried that Google’s search engine might be driving away web traffic from Expedia. In 2011, Expedia stated to regulators that its revenues were dependent on traffic obtained via search engines and that Google’s dominance could have a negative impact on the company. This statement is in complete contradiction to the statement made by Expedia CEO – Dara Khrosrowshahi where he claimed that search traffic was far less profitable than direct traffic to the Expedia website.
Similarly, TripAdvisor has petitioned against Google with the U.S government and the E.U commission even after its CEO – Stephen Kaufer stated that Google was not a threat to the company. TripAdvisor has indicated, in its petitions, that Google promotes unfair practices and reduces market competitiveness. This could be seen as a retaliatory move to Google’s foray into travel planning with its Google Places application. FairSearch, the lobbying group used by Kayak and other travel companies, has expressed its worry that Google search results do not place these travel companies at the top of the list. This is allegedly driving away traffic from these travel websites to Google’s travel application – Google Places. FairSearch claims that this is a move by Google to gain a strong foothold in the online travel planning sector.
Stance Taken By Yelp and Microsoft
Microsoft has joined forces with these travel companies against Google and has submitted petitions with regulators. Yelp, a website that helps users find local businesses, has stated that Google often competes with it to provide information on local establishments. Their post and written testimony against Google can be found on their blog.