Microsoft files anti-competition complaint against Google

Software giant asks European Commission to investigate alleged unfair practices.

Microsoft says it has filed an anti-competition complaint against internet rival Google with the European Commission.

Brad Smith, a senior vice-president at Microsoft, made the announcement in a blog post this morning, claiming that Google “has taken to entrench its dominance in the markets for online search and search advertising to the detriment of European consumers”.

Smith lists six ways in which he alleges Google has tried to dominate the market. They are restricting other search engines finding YouTube, which Google owns; blocking Microsoft smartphones from accessing YouTube; controlling access to out-of-copyright books; restricting advertisers from having access to data about themselves; contractually blocking leading European websites from using search boxes that are not Google; and making it more costly for rival search engines to attain prominent placement for their advertisements.

The Commission is already investigating complaints filed by three small internet search firms who allege Google behaved in an anti-competitive way.

Smith said: “Having spent more than a decade wearing the shoe on the other foot with the European Commission, the filing of a formal antitrust complaint is not something we take lightly.

“This is the first time Microsoft Corporation has ever taken this step.  More so than most, we recognize the importance of ensuring that competition laws remain balanced and that technology innovation moves forward. 

“We readily appreciate that Google should continue to have the freedom to innovate. But it shouldn’t be permitted to pursue practices that restrict others from innovating and offering competitive alternatives.”

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Joaquín Almunia, the European commissioner for competition, said: “The Commission takes note of the complaint and, as is the procedure, will inform Google and will ask for its views on it.

“No further information will be given.”

A spokesman for Google said the company was not surprised by the development and would continue to work with the Commission during its investigation.