Google Addresses EU Antitrust Case: ‘We Don’t Always Get It Right’
European regulators are holding Google's feet to the fire over what they claim are various search shenanigans, such as Google promoting its own shopping services by displaying them at the top and burying non-paying rivals way below. Matt Brittin, Vice President of Google in the U.K., addressed the anti-trust charges that were brought against the company in April in an unexpected way.
"We don't always get it right," Brittin acknowledged. "As far as Europe is concerned, we get it. We understand that people here are not the same in the their attitudes to everything as people in America. We just didn't have the people on the ground to be able to have some of those conversations as we grew."
The acknowledgement seems to be more than just lip service. In fact, Google created his position as boss of its European operations specifically to unify its operations overseas and ensure that it's keeping in line with Europe's expectations.
Of course, this is Google we're talking about here, and even though it's giving an inch, the company's not going to outright admit that it's trying to take a mile in return. As for the charges levied against it, Google contends that consumers aren't getting the short end of the stick.
"There is no evidence that consumers have been harmed here, and actually no evidence that complainants have been harmed," Brittin added.
Brittin also makes the point that the ones complaining the loudest are U.S. companies, not consumers. So in other words, while Google is willing to work towards a settlement and work harder at understanding the European market, it's not going to concede that it's selfishly done consumers a disservice in any way.
"We don't always get it right," Brittin acknowledged. "As far as Europe is concerned, we get it. We understand that people here are not the same in the their attitudes to everything as people in America. We just didn't have the people on the ground to be able to have some of those conversations as we grew."
The acknowledgement seems to be more than just lip service. In fact, Google created his position as boss of its European operations specifically to unify its operations overseas and ensure that it's keeping in line with Europe's expectations.
Of course, this is Google we're talking about here, and even though it's giving an inch, the company's not going to outright admit that it's trying to take a mile in return. As for the charges levied against it, Google contends that consumers aren't getting the short end of the stick.
"There is no evidence that consumers have been harmed here, and actually no evidence that complainants have been harmed," Brittin added.
Brittin also makes the point that the ones complaining the loudest are U.S. companies, not consumers. So in other words, while Google is willing to work towards a settlement and work harder at understanding the European market, it's not going to concede that it's selfishly done consumers a disservice in any way.
