Apple Said to Be Subpoenaed by U.S. Regulators on Google’s Mobile Search (Google Antitrust Probe)

[onehandle]

Source: Bloomberg

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission subpoenaed Apple Inc. (AAPL) as part of its antitrust probe of Google Inc. (GOOG), seeking information on how the computer maker uses the search engine on the iPhone and iPad, two people familiar with the matter said.

The agency’s request for documents includes the agreements that made Google the preferred search engine on Apple’s mobile devices, said the people, who weren’t authorized to speak publicly and declined to be identified. Google rivals such as Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) have criticized these agreements as anticompetitive.

The subpoena indicates the FTC is intensifying its scrutiny of Google’s business practices. Details of the Apple-Google relationship may show whether Google is abusing its dominance of Internet search to boost revenue in the mobile phone advertising market, said Allen Grunes, an antitrust lawyer at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP in Washington.

“As mobile search gets more widespread, the default setting becomes more significant,” said Grunes, who doesn’t represent Google or its rivals. The FTC has sent subpoenas to other handset makers and wireless carriers, said one of the people, who declined to name the companies.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-13/apple-said-to-be-subpoenaed-by-u-dot-s-dot-regulators-on-google-s-mobile-search

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Is 'Don't be evil' Google starting to receive its comeuppance?

[grahamhgreen]

1. Duck Duck Go is a great search engine that does not record your info. (no, I don't

work for them)


"Why You Should Care - Search Leakage [top]

At other search engines, when you do a search and then click on a link, your search terms are sent to that site you clicked on (in the HTTP referrer header). We call this sharing of personal information "search leakage."

For example, when you search for something private, you are sharing that private search not only with your search engine, but also with all the sites that you clicked on (for that search).

In addition, when you visit any site, your computer automatically sends information about it to that site (including your User agent and IP address). This information can often be used to identify you directly.

So when you do that private search, not only can those other sites know your search terms, but they can also know that you searched it. It is this combination of available information about you that raises privacy concerns. "

https://duckduckgo.com/privacy.html