The Case of the Rigged Search Engine: How Google’s Alleged Monopoly Play Screwed Over Moltiply (And Everyone Else)
The digital streets are mean these days, folks. Big Tech’s running the show like a bunch of casino owners who’ve rigged every slot machine in town. And the latest victim? Italy’s Moltiply Group, a scrappy underdog that just slapped Google with a €2.97 billion lawsuit for allegedly playing dirty in the search engine game.
Now, this ain’t Google’s first rodeo. The EU already fined ‘em €2.42 billion back in 2017 for shoving their own shopping service down users’ throats while burying the competition. The courts called it like it was: Google’s got a monopoly, and they’ve been flexing it like a mob boss shaking down local businesses. Moltiply’s lawsuit? Just another chapter in the saga of how Silicon Valley’s golden child might not be so innocent after all.
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The Smoking Gun: How Google Allegedly Kneecapped 7Pixel
Let’s break it down like a crime scene. Moltiply’s subsidiary, 7Pixel, runs Trovaprezzi.it—Italy’s answer to price comparison shopping. But between 2010 and 2017, Google allegedly tweaked its algorithms to favor its own Google Shopping, leaving competitors like Trovaprezzi.it scrambling for scraps.
This ain’t just some corporate whining. The EU Court of Justice already ruled that Google’s tactics were straight-up anti-competitive. And Moltiply’s not alone—Sweden’s PriceRunner sued for €2.1 billion, claiming Google manipulated search results to screw over rivals. It’s like running a deli next to a Walmart that also owns the roads leading to your shop.
The Domino Effect: When Monopolies Stifle Innovation
Google controls about 90% of the global search market. That’s not dominance—that’s a stranglehold. And when one player rigs the game, innovation takes a bullet. Smaller firms like Moltiply can’t compete when Google’s algorithms act like bouncers, deciding who gets seen and who gets buried.
Worse? This ain’t just about shopping comparisons. Google’s been accused of pulling the same stunt in online ads, mobile apps, even maps. The U.S. Department of Justice is now pushing to break up the company, arguing it’s turned the internet into its own private fiefdom.
The Global Crackdown: Regulators Finally Load Their Guns
The EU’s been leading the charge, slapping Google with fines and forcing changes to its search practices. The UK’s got a £5 billion class-action lawsuit in the works, and even the U.S.—home of Big Tech’s golden boys—is finally waking up to the monopoly problem.
But here’s the kicker: fines alone won’t cut it. Google’s got deep pockets, and a few billion in penalties is just the cost of doing business. What’s needed? Structural changes—breaking up the monopoly, forcing real competition, and making sure the next Moltiply doesn’t get crushed before it even gets a shot.
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Case Closed? Not Yet—But the Tide’s Turning
Moltiply’s lawsuit is more than just a corporate spat. It’s a warning shot—a sign that the world’s finally sick of letting tech giants play judge, jury, and executioner in the digital economy.
Will Google pay up? Maybe. Will anything really change? That depends on whether regulators keep their foot on the gas. One thing’s for sure: the days of Silicon Valley’s unchecked power might finally be numbered.
And that, folks, is a win for the little guy. Even if it took a €3 billion lawsuit to get there.
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