There it is. Confirmation directly from the Department of Justice that divestiture of Chrome, Android and/or Play are all on the table as remedies to Google's antitrust abuses. US DOJ's remedies framework just posted. Their final proposal is due Nov 20th. /1
It's a fairly broad, ten pages that starts by reiterating the findings of the DC Court and the duty to seek an order not only addressing the existing harms from Google's illegal conduct but - this is critically important - prevent recurrence going forward. /2
here are the listed findings in a tl;dr format. Note the point of illegal conduct for over ten years and the importance of scale and data. /3
Ka-Boom. Federal court just issued remedy for Google's app store monopoly (found liable by jury earlier this year). Note: this is on the eve of US DOJ posting its remedy framework for Google's monopolies in Search and Search text ads. And yes, adtech opinion to come... /1
Looks like 3 years (I think Epic asked for 6) on a long list of restricts to attempt to cure Google's monopoly abuse in its app store (Google Play). We'll need to do a full review but this section may be most notable for @DCNorg members. And yes, Google will likely appeal. /2
Woah. Lawsuit against Facebook for overpaying $5b+ to FTC and SEC to limit Zuckerberg’s exposure from its cover-up around Cambridge Analytica just took an interesting twist with allegations Sheryl Sandberg was using and purging a separate Gmail account for sensitive matters. /1
This is in a sanctions motion just unsealed against her and another board member (now Biden Chief of Staff). The Delaware lawsuit is brought by pension funds now deposing a number of the board members after a records inspection allowed for a derivative lawsuit. /2
It appears that the evidence of the spoliation comes from emails showing up on the other end of the communications during discovery. This is how Google’s own spoliation issues surfaced (worth noting Facebook’s Sandberg and Schrage both worked at Google so…) /3
Oh come on, Alex Heath. It's one thing to let Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spread misleading history as part of your getting access and an exclusive interview but it's another thing to do it for him. You stated this for him rather than fact-checking on what actually happened? /1
I don't even know what you're talking about here. Google wrote a check for a few million to DOJ to eliminate the claim allowing for a jury. The case wasn't settled, it's literally wrapping up this week. It was Facebook who has paid more than $5B in settlements to the govt. /2
On those $5B+ in settlements, they were due to what you're helping him rewrite history. Literally THIS WEEK, 3 cases moved in DE Chancery, DC Appeals and the freaking US Supreme Court. Facebook WROTE THIS to SCOTUS who granted cert in 9th circuit case day after Nov elections. /3
Woah. Fun. Buried in DOJ adtech antitrust exhibits posted overnight is a highly sensitive summary of Google's monitoring and spinning of the DOJ's search antitrust complaint in 2020 - yes, the landmark case the US DOJ just won. Keep this in mind as you read my thread. /1
Ingredients: a project code-name -> 'BeeGee,' 'fake privilege' as one of Google's legal eagles has called it only to be scorched by Courts, and a Google blog post (AKA PR spin) dutifully shared by influencers and press which is Google's key goal (Facebook does this, too). /2
At the top of the wins is getting the WSJ Editorial Board to weigh in. Google accomplished this with a "deft" briefing by its chief legal officer, Kent Walker. Google also noting many of its blog spin arguments were used verbatim. Yeaaaay Google PR team. /3
just found some eye-popping stuff in google discovery under the examples of substantive chats (not deleted). you ready? it's between two key VPs (33+yrs collectively working at Google) and strikes at the intersection of privacy and antitrust as they began cookie deprecation. /1
All yellow highlights are mine. I am going to attempt to translate what is going on here based on my knowledge of all context around this chat and having reviewed and studied the company closely over the years. Correct me on anything you think I've got wrong please. /2
We know from prior reports, when Google announced 3rd party cookie deprecation, it also dropped super low quality methodology research (for G) that this would drop publishers' ad revenues by 52%. It appears they hoped this would cause "chrome to do something different." /3