Korean Government Fines Google $176 Million for Anti-Competitive Behavior
This CNBC article says Google makes $426k a minute. So it will take Google about 7 hours today to make enough money to pay this fine:
South Korea’s antitrust regulator said Tuesday it has decided to fine global tech giant Google 207.4 billion won (US$176.8 million) for pressing smartphone makers into only using its Android mobile operating system.
Since 2016, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has been looking into Google over allegations it obstructed local smartphone makers, such as Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., from using operating systems developed by rivals.
Google has hampered market competition by requiring smartphone makers to clinch an “anti-fragmentation agreement (AFA)” when they sign key contracts with Google over app store licenses and early access to OS, according to the regulator.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
Good start.
I side with Korea on this one. “Don’t Be Evil,” my ass. Google lost all credibility when it worked with China to maintain the Great Firewall. And since then, everything I’ve heard about Google’s internal practices (e.g., its “woke” seminars for staff) has done nothing to increase my respect for the company. I hope Korea keeps chopping away at Google for a long time.
Think it’s unanimous.
Everyone is on team Korea here.
I use Duck Duck Go.
It’s nuts Google makes this much.
And Netflix too (per the link)!
No wonder they can fund an endless stream of crappy woke-themed series.
I would normally side with Korea on this.
But after consideration, I think morality, business ethics, fair competition, customer choice, innovation, and all that can be set aside in this one case if it helps keep Korea from supplying any type of software.
Google may be doing the world a favor.
…unless there is a demand for a phone that runs entirely on a proprietary version of ActiveX and is skinned with a laggy user interface inspired by 1990s MySpace.
Then again, Kakao is better than anything Google or Microsoft vomited upon the world… so maybe times are changing.