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I think that time was "a while ago" and they're still running because the US doesn't actually care that much about virtual monopolies.

by moate 6y ago

tehjoker 6y ago
Since Regan, the US doesn't care about concentration of market power, only whether prices for consumers are affected. Since Google services are "free", no anti-trust violations are incurred under this standard. However, it's looking like things might be changing slightly. Biden appointed someone that cares about anti-trust. We'll have to see if that's just for show or not like most of his administration.
croes 6y ago
They are just very slow.
angryasian 6y ago
Monopolies are a barrier to entry. I don't think any of google's products prevent that. As we see in most technology over the last 20 years, the companies at the top can change fast. A company that creates a better search engine, will easily take over search. Next gen of search will be better at providing more relevant / less spam Youtube does have some network effect and high costs but not enough to stop anyone from competing and vc money evens out the costs. Next gen in video may offer more features, or for a completely different platform like VR The only platform I do see them having a strong ability to block out potential competition would be mobile and Android.
- SomewhatLikely 6y ago
  Can you provide examples of better companies replacing the incumbent in a mature market? Most examples I can think of occurred in markets that were a tiny fraction of their mature size. Most of Google's users weren't using search engines when Google was created. Most of facebook's users weren't using social media when Facebook was created. In these cases it's less about converting existing users as it is about capturing new users.
  - angryasian 6y ago
    Yahoo, MySpace, Geocities were all top 5 global properties at one point. Spotify crushed several music related services like Pandora, napster, maybe even Apple Music. Dating sites theres a few as in Match, okCupid have largely been displaced. >Most of Google's users weren't using search engines when Google was created. I really don't know about your assessment about Facebook but I'd fundamentally disagree, as in the beginning they were capturing the college aged to young professionals. I'd say they fundamentally grew off the back of MySpace users. Myspace was huge and everyone had a page at the time. Google was a little different as they did help to define and create this space of web indexing, as a lot of early search pages were more directories and portals.

I think that time was "a while ago" and they're still running because the US doesn't actually care that much about virtual monopolies.

by moate 6y ago

I think that time was "a while ago" and they're still running because the US doesn't actually care that much about virtual monopolies.

tehjoker 6y ago

Since Regan, the US doesn't care about concentration of market power, only whether prices for consumers are affected. Since Google services are "free", no anti-trust violations are incurred under this standard. However, it's looking like things might be changing slightly. Biden appointed someone that cares about anti-trust. We'll have to see if that's just for show or not like most of his administration.

croes 6y ago

They are just very slow.

angryasian 6y ago

Monopolies are a barrier to entry. I don't think any of google's products prevent that. As we see in most technology over the last 20 years, the companies at the top can change fast. A company that creates a better search engine, will easily take over search. Next gen of search will be better at providing more relevant / less spam Youtube does have some network effect and high costs but not enough to stop anyone from competing and vc money evens out the costs. Next gen in video may offer more features, or for a completely different platform like VR The only platform I do see them having a strong ability to block out potential competition would be mobile and Android.

SomewhatLikely 6y ago
Can you provide examples of better companies replacing the incumbent in a mature market? Most examples I can think of occurred in markets that were a tiny fraction of their mature size. Most of Google's users weren't using search engines when Google was created. Most of facebook's users weren't using social media when Facebook was created. In these cases it's less about converting existing users as it is about capturing new users.
- angryasian 6y ago
  Yahoo, MySpace, Geocities were all top 5 global properties at one point. Spotify crushed several music related services like Pandora, napster, maybe even Apple Music. Dating sites theres a few as in Match, okCupid have largely been displaced. >Most of Google's users weren't using search engines when Google was created. I really don't know about your assessment about Facebook but I'd fundamentally disagree, as in the beginning they were capturing the college aged to young professionals. I'd say they fundamentally grew off the back of MySpace users. Myspace was huge and everyone had a page at the time. Google was a little different as they did help to define and create this space of web indexing, as a lot of early search pages were more directories and portals.