This seems to be a big thing in the news right now. I shudder to think what this bit of news is distracting us from.
Why do I feel it's unimportant enough to worry about what I might be missing? Monopoly investigations in the tech industry have been little more than a money grab from courts and lawyers. Our rights as consumers aren't being protected.
Case in point; Microsoft. Once the target of a probe that was simply dropped in the U.S. after years of court battles. One of the key points was the forced distribution of the web browser in the operating system. This was a clearly egregious violation of antitrust laws, but somehow U.S. courts allowed themselves to be blinded to Microsoft's cavalcade of "experts" and allowed that point to simply fall by the wayside.
Not so in the EU; consider that Microsoft distributes the Windows operating system WITHOUT A BROWSER. It's completely separate from the OS and people can choose to run it or not.
Another case in point; Apple. Consider that you cannot install the OS on any non-Apple manufactured hardware. Consider that you cannot replace the battery in many of Apple's products and most of the software for it needs to be vetted through iTunes or Apple. Seems like Apple products are designed to promote trade and opportunity for only Apple and they are not interested in innovative partners (of course most of the truly innovative technologies are bought up by Microsoft since they can't seem to spell innovation much less create any).
One of the more recent arguments presented in an article is questioning the wisdom of launching an investigation into a high-profile member of the tech industry when it is that industry which is driving a significant part of the U.S. economic recovery.
Personally, I could care less if Google was making every dollar for the U.S. GDP right now; if they're breaking the law then they need to be punished. Punishing them for dominance of the search market? Uhm. No. Punish them for poisoning the way links are displayed in search results? Ok yeah get 'em.
Just don't forget, Microsoft's Bing uses Google search to give you your search results, so take heed Microsoft; you better get your lawyers over to Google to protect your... Innovative search engine...