News analysis and media reporting practices

¶ … Consensus

Generally, the review of recent news reports about Google strongly suggests that the industry leading search engine has begun implementing a strategic vision of significantly expanding the range of services beyond those from which it built its current empire. Various reports have documented Google's expansion into retail music sales, travel services, as well as delivering television content via the digital Internet medium. At the same time, Google is still heavily involved in maintaining its market position lead as the world's largest, most recognized, and comprehensive full-service Internet search engine by developing Internet browser functions to compete with Internet Explorer and other major Internet browsers. The increasing dominance of Google and its independent for-profit control over fundamental applications of business information accessibility have raised regulatory concerns in several European countries. Generally, the degree of Google's dominance in its business niche may violate the laws of some of those countries.

The Apparent Business Strategy of Google

Google has been the world's biggest and most recognized Internet search engine for the better part of a decade. Previously, Google's principal service has involved providing the consumer with access to information in ways that make that information most useful and easily searchable. The evidence from recent news reports indicate that Google has apparently shifted its focus and implemented a very deliberate strategy of expanding its services far beyond merely providing information.

It seems that Google executives realized that as lucrative as the business as it is to sell ad space in connection with the manner in which information about for-profit enterprises are made available online, there is even more profit potential from selling some of the types of services for which Google (and the Internet in general) have proven most useful. Instead of merely providing information to consumers about where to find or purchase music, other entertainment content, and serviced typically searched for online, Google will now actually be providing some of those services directly.

Responses in the Business, Government Regulatory, and Consumer Communities

Naturally, Google's customers appreciate every innovative addition to the Google suite of Internet services that make life easier. However, business competitors are concerned because the expansion of Google beyond the provision of information and into the direct sales of goods and services represents tremendous competition from a well-funded and extremely innovative company with as much (or more) single-handed control of online information as any nongovernmental entity. In France, that nation's Authorite de la Concurrence (competition authority) issued a ruling against Google based on the company's misuse of its dominant market position. The European Commission has also launched investigations of Google in connection with possible antitrust issues raised by its business practices.

Likely Future Implications and Expectations