Senator asks FTC to revisit Google antitrust case
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, asked the Federal Trade Commission to revisit its decision not to pursue antitrust charges against Alphabet Inc.'s Google for its search and digital advertising practices. In a letter to the FTC, Hatch noted that the regulatory agency decided not to pursue charges against Google in 2013, but cites Wall Street Journal reporting that showed some staff suggested in 2012 that charges should be brought. Hatch also notes that the FTC said in a 2010 inquiry into Google's acquisition of AdMob that part of its reason for allowing the deal was the belief that Apple Inc. would become a strong competitor in digital advertising, which it has not. Google has been hit with two massive fines from the European Union in the last year-plus for anticompetitive practices. Google's class A shares were trading about 0.3% lower in Thursday trading after the letter was released. The stock has gained 19.7% so far this year, as the S&P 500 index has increased 9%.
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