US Department Of Justice Reopens Case Of Google Maps Called Anti-competitive

Google Maps is again targeted by the US Department of Justice. (photo; google maps screenshot)

JAKARTA – The US Department of Justice has revived an investigation into Google Maps. This investigation is to determine whether illegally combining the service with other Google software is hindering competition.

This Alphabet Inc unit investigation first came to light in late 2020 and had been silent until the last few months. However, recently investigators have started to investigate again.

Google said it was working with regulators and welcomed their inquiries. The US Department of Justice declined to comment on this.

One section focuses on applications, including for navigation, which are provided via the in-vehicle infotainment screen. In the Google Automotive Services package for automakers, the search company combines Maps, the Google Play app store, Google Assistant, and other services. Car companies were barred, for example, from mixing Google Maps with voice assistants developed by smaller rival companies. Herein lies the problem.

In response, Google said the integration provided the best user experience, and in some cases voice assistants from rival products could actually work with Google Maps.

The other component focuses on app and website developers. In particular, the department looks at Google's requirement that if a website or app uses one Google technology, say Google location search, then the website or app developer cannot use maps or other technology developed by Google's rival company.

A congressional antitrust panel concluded in a Big Tech staff report issued in 2020 stating that Google is "aggressively enforcing these provisions". In fact they and effectively force developers "to choose whether they will use all of Google's mapping services or not at all."

Google says its policy is aimed at preventing bad experiences, noting that mixing Google Maps with information on other maps can lead to errors. The policy also stems from restrictions that partners place on how Google can use their data.

The policy has a few exceptions, and Google adds that developers "are also free to use other mapping services than the Google Maps Platform, and this is what many do."

Two developers have told Reuters over the past year that they received breach notices from Google in recent years after mixing data from the company's services with maps from other providers. Developers say there are competing options that are cheaper or more detailed, than Google Maps in some cases.

The developer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from Google, has also expressed concern about the company's new privacy options for users of the Android mobile operating system that could limit data collection by rival mapping providers.

At stake are money and data, including places and people's interests. Google does not disclose sales separately from licensing the map-related tool. But Google has over the years raised the cost of mapping and tying the business to its Cloud unit, whose sales growth has attracted investors.

In addition, the continued use of Google's mapping service allows the company to collect more data to maintain its dominance over competing options.

Tying products together is not necessarily illegal but antitrust enforcement has stepped in when the bundling has not benefited consumers. Especially if it kills its competitors.

In 1998, the US government sued Microsoft Corp. for allegedly violating antitrust laws by tying its operating system monopoly to Internet Explorer to destroy competitor Netscape's browser.

There is no sign that the department staff investigating Google Maps have recommended whether to sue Google in this case.

Google is already fighting a lawsuit filed by the department in 2020, which accuses it of violating antitrust laws to maintain its dominance in search and search advertising. The case will be tried in 2023.

A lawsuit against Google over its dominance in the online advertising business has also long been expected to follow suit. The investigation into that case was far more advanced than the map business case.

Antitrust enforcement could be hampered in completing a long-running investigation that has been swamped by a large number of merger reviews and merger-related trials. A trial merger is expected in April and two more are expected in August.