I am curious how can you even break Google apart -- it is not like you can just split it into regional companies (like with Ma Bell). The article only mentions:

I am curious how can you even break Google apart -- it is not like you can just split it into regional companies (like with Ma Bell). The article only mentions: - Fining Google over shopping-comparison results - Forcing Bell Labs to license its patents to all comers I don't think that the fines could reduce Google's or Facebook's market share in their primary market. As for the patent example, I am not sure how to apply it to Google/Facebook. AFAIK, their patent portfolio, or even their software, is not the key to their success -- their social networks are.