60 Minutes asks How Did Google Get So Big?

Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes interviews Gary Reback:

Gary Reback is one of the most prominent antitrust lawyers in the country widely credited with persuading the Justice Department to sue Microsoft back in the 90s, the last major antitrust case against big tech. Now he is battling Google. Steve Kroft: You think Google's a monopoly? Gary Reback: Oh, yes, of course Google's a monopoly. In fact they're a monopoly in several markets. They're a monopoly in search. They're a monopoly in search advertising. Those technologies are less than 25 years old, and may seem small compared to the industrial monopolies like railroads and standard oil a century ago but Reback says there's nothing small about Google.

It's a fascinating interview, and flashback into how Google has morphed into the dominant player in the flow of information in the U.S. Any small business owner might take note of the Yelp's Jeremy Stoppelman's demo of how Google controls the information if there is a search for your brand or service.  It clearly illustrates that if Google is the first place a customer thinks to look for a solution, they have the most influence on your reputation. Ignoring this fact and leaving it to chance can make or break your year.  We can exert control over what that first impression is, and turn it into a factor that influences any searcher to pick up that phone and call your service. Click here to read the whole thing about How Google Got So Big.

Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s Competition Commissioner, on Google case, says “we can prove” illegal behavior. #60Minutes pic.twitter.com/RxolA0ksNx

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 20, 2018

  In other news, Google Removes 'Don't Be Evil' Clause From Its Code of Conduct

Google’s unofficial motto has long been the simple phrase “don’t be evil.” But that’s over, according to the code of conduct that Google distributes to its employees. The phrase was removed sometime in late April or early May, archives hosted by the Wayback Machine show.