Google Provokes Microsoft, Suspected Of Anti-Competitive Cloud Practices

JAKARTA - Google complained to the United States (US) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about anti-competitive practices by Microsoft against the cloud computing business.

In a letter sent yesterday to the FTC, Google stated Microsoft had used software license restrictions to keep customers locked into its cloud service, Azure.

Google took issue with Microsoft using its Windows Server and Office products to maintain clients on Azure, and argued the company's controls presented a national security risk.

The claim highlights a succession of cyberattacks involving Microsoft products, including the SolarWinds breach. Microsoft and Google both have active cybersecurity practices that respond to and research cyberthreats.

Google's letter was prompted by an FTC request on March 22, for comment on how the cloud provider's business practices affect competition and data security.

And that's not the only submission raising concerns about competing cloud platforms.

More than two decades ago, the Windows business was found to have engaged in unlawful anti-competitive behavior related to personal computers.

Meanwhile, Google itself is also the target of various antitrust investigations, most of which take place across the US and European markets.

The Mountain View, California, US giant had filed a similar objection with European regulators earlier this month.

Microsoft, according to Google, allegedly charges third-party cloud providers additional fees to run its software, costs that customers do not incur if they run the same software on the Azure platform. This was quoted from CNBC International and The Register, Thursday, June 22.