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863 points IdealeZahlen | 11 comments | | HN request time: 1.914s | source | bottom
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lupka ◴[] No.43718153[source]
Happy to see this and hopefully there are some changes. Right now I'm dealing with a crazy Adsense issue and there is no recourse, no customer support and no alternative.
replies(3): >>43718586 #>>43718619 #>>43718696 #
whoknowsidont ◴[] No.43718586[source]
There is no shortage of other ad platforms. Breaking up Google isn't going to solve your specific issue lol
replies(4): >>43718857 #>>43719143 #>>43719228 #>>43719239 #
azemetre ◴[] No.43718857[source]
No but it would stop a single company from accumulating so much power.

How you can argue such things are democratic are beyond me. There is nothing democratic about trillion dollar corporations that can ruin your business for refusing to play their game.

replies(2): >>43719156 #>>43720880 #
whoknowsidont ◴[] No.43719156[source]
How can Google ruin your business?
replies(2): >>43719208 #>>43719224 #
afavour ◴[] No.43719224[source]
I've seen countless examples, e.g. a business that depends on online advertising gets its account suspended for incorrect reasons and there is literally no-one to reach at Google to get unsuspended.
replies(2): >>43719304 #>>43719544 #
carlosjobim ◴[] No.43719544[source]
If you made your business become completely dependent on a third party, you were already a failure and shouldn't have a business. Being a successful businessman is not a right. It's competition.
replies(4): >>43719619 #>>43719632 #>>43719728 #>>43720439 #
1. afavour ◴[] No.43720439[source]
Isn't one of the specific complaints about monopolies that it leaves you with no choice but to be dependent on the third party?

If Google blocks my access to the only viable ad network do you really think it's reasonable to say I need to set up my own ad exchange?

replies(1): >>43721582 #
2. carlosjobim ◴[] No.43721582[source]
Trillions of dollars are spent on advertising outside of Google. You can advertise in print, billboards, radio and television ads, Netflix, or on social media behemoths.

Hackers call every big business they do not like a "monopoly". What's next, Burger King is a monopoly? I dislike Google more than most and would never buy nor sell ads with them, but they have no monopoly on advertising.

replies(2): >>43721701 #>>43727314 #
3. afavour ◴[] No.43721701[source]
I’m sorry, this perspective is absurd. I’m talking about a web site that shows ads. You’re suggesting they pivot to running off billboards? To creating TV shows?

> What’s next, Burger King is a monopoly?

I think this just illustrates that you’re not grasping the concept. Of course Burger King isn’t a monopoly. With my car when looking for a drive through dining experience I can go to McDonalds. Or Wendy’s. Or whatever. When operating a small to medium size web site that depends on advertising for revenue the viable alternatives to Google essentially don’t exist.

replies(1): >>43721942 #
4. carlosjobim ◴[] No.43721942{3}[source]
Situation 1: You want to advertise your product or service. There are endless options outside of Google, including some options where the audience is counted in the hundreds of millions.

Situation 2: You want to let others advertise their products or service in your space. There is an endless amount of companies which you can contact to make advertising deals. If you are too lazy to do that and want a third party to take care of it, then you can use Google as a middle man. But they are not obliged to do business with you.

If the justice wants to go after Google, then they could (and should) prosecute Google (and Meta, and Twitter) for all the scam and malware ads they permit through their platform. That is billions of dollars of money laundering, and the CEOs should be imprisoned for this. For life.

5. CPLX ◴[] No.43727314[source]
> I dislike Google more than most and would never buy nor sell ads with them, but they have no monopoly on advertising

You’re commenting on an article with the title “Google is illegally monopolizing” which is reporting on the official verdict of a federal trial where Google was well represented and lost.

replies(1): >>43729298 #
6. carlosjobim ◴[] No.43729298{3}[source]
Monopoly is a real word with a real meaning. It doesn't matter what any kind of judge "decides", he does not have the authority to change the meanings of words according to his humors. Google might be doing anti-competitive or fraudulent actions, but let's use the proper terms in the proper places.

Just like there is a difference between theft, burglary and robbery.

replies(1): >>43731798 #
7. CPLX ◴[] No.43731798{4}[source]
Monopoly, and the degree to which Google obtained a monopoly in the defined market examined in this case, is a legal question. So indeed it does matter what a judge decides after a trial where the evidence was examined and a conclusion reached.

You might even argue that there’s no other definition less abitrary than this one, and it’s your understanding of what the word means that needs revision.

replies(1): >>43737362 #
8. carlosjobim ◴[] No.43737362{5}[source]
Your argument is simply appeal to authority. The truth is still the truth no matter what men do or decide. If the judge calls Google a monopoly in advertising, he is obviously wrong, and nobody has any duty to pretend that he is right. Both you and I can think for ourselves.
replies(1): >>43740798 #
9. CPLX ◴[] No.43740798{6}[source]
Yes my argument is an appeal to authority. That’s the right approach to answering a legal question.

An appeal to authority is an excellent way to argue when the authority in question has the ability to determine and define the answer in question.

Calling a company an illegal monopoly at the ci conclusion of a trial is analogous to calling a person a convicted murderer because a court says they are.

Do you have your own definition of a kilometer too?

replies(1): >>43760769 #
10. carlosjobim ◴[] No.43760769{7}[source]
Who are the persons who has to respect the judge (the authority) when he is flagrantly wrong in his decision? The justice system has to respect that decision. Google and the other involved parties have to respect that decision.

You and me however, are not involved in any way, and do not have to respect anything this ignorant judge says or decides.

replies(1): >>43780956 #
11. CPLX ◴[] No.43780956{8}[source]
It's not one judge: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/technology/google-antitru...

It's also not one party, it's successive Democratic and Republican administrations that prosecuted the cases.

It's also not just Federal, the most recent victory was also prosecuted by the Attorneys General of 17 separate states, also from a mix of political parties.

Google is a monopoly engaged in anti-competitive actions that have severely harmed the markets it participates in. That's a demonstrated fact at this point.

You're welcome to advocate for a redefinition of the words we're using here, or just to legalize monopoly power, which presumably is a political goal you have and would have the effect of causing judges to reach different outcomes based on this new law, but there's no value in arguing with reality.