Google needs a very thorough frisking, say antitrust senators

FTC told search biz's dominance raises questions

The Federal Trade Commission has been urged by two concerned US lawmakers to investigate Google's search business practices more thoroughly.

Senator Mike Lee and Senator Herb Kohl, who both sit on the upper house's judiciary antitrust subcommittee, wrote (PDF) to the FTC's chairman Jonathan Leibowitz on Monday.

"Google is dominant in general internet searches, with a 65 to 70 per cent market share in computer-based internet search, and a market share of at least 95 per cent for internet searches done on mobile devices," the letter said, which cited StatCounter metrics for top search engines in the US between October and November this year.

The missive continued: "Indeed, in response to Senator Kohl's question at subcommittee hearingon the internet’s level playing field,” said Google in a statement to the news wire.

In June this year, an antitrust investigation was formally opened by the FTC. It is investigating Google's search and advertising practices.

Meanwhile, in Europe the company's business is being probed by anti-competition regulators.

As we reported in early December, Google will be hit with a meaty statement of objections file from the European Commission in early 2012. The complainant's document is understood to be more than 400 pages in length.

The EC opened a formal investigation into allegations that Google has abused its dominant position in online search by illegally favouring, or gaming, its own services in November last year. ®