back to article Google will 'pre-select' an 'independent' competition inspector in EU search case

Competition chiefs in Brussels have begun sending out rejection letters to complainants in the long-running Google search antitrust case, revealing - among other things - that the ad giant will be picking candidates for the role of "monitoring trustee". The person or persons appointed to the role will be expected to …

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  1. RyokuMas
    FAIL

    Never going to work....

    Whoever does this would have to be immune to bribes, have nothing to lose from the threat of reduced search rankings, and not have any kind of grudge or favour towards Google...

    ... find my one man who claims this, and I'll call him a liar.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Never going to work....

      I'm it, but I doubt I have the qualifications though.

      That's where the problem arises. Once you've gained the skills required, pissing off Google is hardly on top of the to-do list.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Never going to work....

        Depends. There are likely to be future instances where the courts want to appoint a monitor for Google ala Apple. If the judge wants them to suffer a bit, they'll have the perfect candidate.

    2. Don Jefe

      Re: Never going to work....

      Bribery only applies to developing nations and countries with internalized commercial oversight mechanisms like UAE and Saudi Arabia. Otherwise, the post 9/11 world is just too difficult to travel around in with big bags of cash. Try it, declare 'One duffle bag of US currency' at the airport. Everybody gets excited if you've got more than $10k in cash on you, and that barely covers the hookers, cocaine and booze anymore. It's a sad statement about today's world when not bribing people costs taxpayers and shareholders considerably more than bribery would.

      At any rate, this mess is just too EUey to solve with bribes. This is a high visibility role and will certainly bring the chosen person to the attention of leadership class bastions of unbiased compliance assurance and mediation resolution like the IMF, EX-IM, and UN. Other similarly prestigious, but lower profile, and higher paying, private organizations will also be actively seeking to recruit the Chosen One. As I'm sure you know, when top flight organizations are trying to recruit someone it's fairly common to introduce the prospect to some of their future clients and meetings like that always go better when they take place in neutral settings that appropriately reflect the financial and influential significance of everyone involved.

      So there's no need for you to worry about the selected individual being bribed and completely nullifying this entire exercise.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good

    "In other words, a "use Google.com" button will remain at the bottom of the search engine's page once any such settlement with Almunia is in place"

    I, for one, don't want to be compelled to see results from third-rate alternatives such as Foundnowt and Tepid Maps in place of the better ones I see at present.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Good

      "I, for one, don't want to be compelled to see results from third-rate alternatives such as Foundnowt and Tepid Maps in place of the better ones I see at present."

      If you think google give you the best and not the best that google get a cut from, I suggest you search for a better pair of eyes.

      1. ratfox

        Re: Good

        Hang on, is that a claim that Search results are manipulated by money paid to Google?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How do you find someone totally independant? Impossible task.

    Q1. Have you ever used the internet to find things?

    Yes [ ]

    No, but I'm a serial liar [ ]

    Q2. What search engine do you use?

    Google [ ]

    Something Inferior [ ]

    Q3. What smartphone do you own?

    Android [ ]

    Apple [ ]

    Something Inferior [ ]

    Q4. have you ever taken a backhander from Microsoft when applying for this job?

    Yes [ ]

    Absolutely [ ]

    You Betcha [ ]

    1. RyokuMas
      FAIL

      Re: How do you find someone totally independant? Impossible task.

      Q2. What search engine do you use?

      Google [ ]

      Something Inferior [ ]

      Something that does not try and extort money from the little guys [ ]

      FTFY

  4. Someone Else Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Really?!? I thought you guys were better than that.

    If there were to be happening in the US, I would have fully expected something like this. But I did think that you folks on the right side of the pond would have been better than this.

    I guess politicians are politicians, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak (besides money, that is)...

    <sigh/>

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Whois hot-map.com

    hot-map.com member of 'Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace' .. hot-map.com: Registrant Name: Contact Privacy Inc ..

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Whois hot-map.com

      I think that if you dig enough you'll find the same company that has posted so many press releases disguised as articles here on the reg in recent times...

  6. Medixstiff

    I don't understand why...

    The payment for the inspector is paid on top of the fine and therefore Google cannot control that person, as the payment would be coming from a fund set aside specifically by the EU inspection committee.

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