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> If they didn't want their content to be indexed by search results, they could ask Google to remove it No, they can't. The first answer to the Google issue fr
by brmgb 6y ago
> If they didn't want their content to be indexed by search results, they could ask Google to remove it
No, they can't. The first answer to the Google issue from the French press was sensible. Individualy they know their content is worth money but individualy they are weak so they try to form a syndicate to negociate with Google in a pay-or-nothing position. But Google argued the French equivalent of fair use allowed them to scrap titles for free.
The French competition regulator had to intervene to force Google to go negociate. You can't negociate in good faith with a monopoly like Google. As the USA has apparently decided it won't apply its antitrust law in order to protect the international competitiveness of its abusive companies, obviously Europe will have to rein them in.
- PoignardAzur 6y agoSomething that is missing in those discussions about Google's monopoly position is that monopoly power doesn't matter that much here because absolutely no content platform would agree to the terms Google are being strongarmed into. Google doesn't want it. Bing wouldn't accept it. DuckDuckGo wouldn't accept it. Qwant probably wouldn't, for that matter. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and HN wouldn't (in fact, Reddit actively lobbied against the EUCD). The publishers went after Google because it's both the biggest mark and also the most unpopular. If they wanted to be principled, they'd apply the same law to Bing, Facebook, Reddit, etc. Except they won't, because Bing, Facebook and Reddit would simply remove any links to French news sites, and they would be hard pressed to make a case for monopoly power when every single content platform reacts the same way.