Communications of the ACM
The U.S. Challenges Google's Search Dominance
The Google case is the first to reach trial of a raft of government antitrust lawsuits launched against major tech companies after the Trump administration and state attorneys general stepped up enforcement and coordination in 2019.
Credit: Daniel GrizelJ/Getty Images
A family member's hurried Google search for a last-second visa to visit New Zealand recently caused a headache—and provided a timely reminder of why Google faces a landmark U.S. antitrust trial next week.
Tapping on the first link took us off to a website that after a few swipes charged $118 for the necessary paperwork. Only later did it emerge that we'd paid a so-called "Internet-based travel technology company" and not a government agency, and been fleeced for more than double the required cost.
Fortunately, our panicked refund demand was fulfilled, but the miscue highlights a major frustration with Google that helped land it in court. The stacks of ads above its search results, like the visa link we clicked on, too often knock users off course from the information that they are seeking.
From Wired
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