How Google’s co-founders Have ‘Escaped All Scrutiny’ in Landmark Antitrust Trials
fliptop writes:
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have kept a low profile as the Big Tech firm weathers a series of critical antitrust court battles - and it's part of a long-running pattern of avoiding federal scrutiny, experts say:
The search giant is reeling after a shocking court loss to Fortnite" maker Epic Games that could upend its lucrative Android app store business. During that trial, US District Judge James Donato slammed what he called a disturbing" companywide effort to destroy evidence in the high-stakes case.
Google faces yet another looming threat as it awaits a judge's ruling on the Justice Department case alleging the company has maintained an illegal monopoly over online search. The 10-week trial concluded last month without an appearance by Page and Brin, who created Google's search tool and held top executive roles as it rose to market dominance.
Instead, Justice Department's antitrust lawyers grilled a number of current and former executives on Google's payroll - as well as higher-ups from firms like Apple and Microsoft.
One prominent industry source who has been tracking the proceedings described the Justice Department's decision not to call the founders to the stand as a tactical mistake." The source argued the feds missed an opportunity to grill the notoriously reclusive Page - an enigmatic figure who former friend Elon Musk once claimed has aspirations of becoming a digital god."
[...] The co-founders' physical absence from the search trial, while notable and surprising to some outsiders, may have made more sense for federal antitrust lawyers aiming to build a laser-focused case about Google's search business practices, experts told The Post.
In a case that's already 10 weeks long, you really want to walk the line between providing enough information and carrying your burden of proof as the government and dragging on and boring the judge," said Rebecca Haw Allensworth, an antitrust law expert and professor at Vanderbilt Law School.
Especially when it's a bench trial, you don't want to be in a situation where you're putting irrelevant proof. You have to pick and choose your strongest witnesses," Allensworth added.
Related:
- "Apple Must be Stopped" and Google is "Crazy" Says Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney
- Fortnite's Android Version Bypasses Google Play to Avoid 30% "Store Tax"
See also:
- US wraps up antitrust case against Google in historic trial
- What Google Argued to Defend Itself in Landmark Antitrust Trial
- Explainer: Epic Games verdict adds to Google's global antitrust woes
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