Austin, Texas – Google (NASD: GOOG) is the subject of an antitrust probe,
launched by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, related to claims it has
lowered the rankings of competitors in its search results, the company said in
a blog post.
Google deputy general counsel Don Harrison wrote that the company
has been asked about claims of downranking by firms including U.K. price
comparison site Foundem, and U.S.-based TradeComet and myTriggers — noting
ties between those firms and rival Microsoft.
"The reality is that we
don’t discriminate against competitors. Indeed, companies like Amazon,
Shopping.com and Expedia typically rank very high in our results because of the
quality of the service they offer users," Harrison wrote.
"We’re looking forward to working cooperatively with
the Texas Attorney General’s office, and we strongly believe our business
practices reflect our commitment to build great products for the benefit of
users everywhere."
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2aaensv
(Google blog)
http://tinyurl.com/2a5a9xz
(Search Engine Land)
