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US Antitrust Action against Google Could Come Sooner than Expected

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

At the heart of Google’s US antitrust troubles is the search giant’s staggering advantage in online search: Google processes roughly 90% of all online searches in the US. But there’s a difference between hypercompetitive behavior and anticompetitive behavior, and I believe that’s what this case is about. As this plays out, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the DOJ’s antitrust case against Google rubbing up against the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent ruling in FTC vs. Qualcomm. Interesting times ahead, to be sure.

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Data Privacy: Apple Agrees to Delay Enforcement of iOS 14’s New IDFA Opt-in Rules to 2021

In Security by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Apple added that they believe that “technology should protect users’ fundamental right to privacy, and that means giving users tools to understand which apps and websites may be sharing their data with other companies for advertising or advertising measurement purposes, as well as the tools to revoke permission for this tracking.”

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Escalating App Store War Between Apple and Developers Likely to Bleed into Antitrust Probes in US and EU

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Apple removes Fortnite, Epic Games’ popular battle royale game, from its App Store, and blocks “rival” game streaming platforms from iOS. Fortnite pretty much immediately filed suit, but there’s much more to unpack in this quest for a piece of the mobile game revenue pie. Note that last year 2.5 billion people played mobile games, propelling mobile game revenues to amount to nearly 75% of all in-app spending. 30% of that revenue is what Apple (and Google) are fighting to capture, at the expense, some would argue, of game developers.

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What Qualcomm’s Landmark Antitrust Victory Against the FTC Really Means for the Mobile Industry, Investors, and Consumers

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

The 9th Circuit’s decision is not just a victory for Qualcomm. It is also a victory for the mobile industry at large, a victory for consumers and investors, and a victory, of course, for innovators as well. The widespread sigh of relief when the court reaffirmed over a century of fundamental IP law that Judge Koh might have otherwise upended, could be felt as much as heard around the world.

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German Court Ruling against Facebook Data Collection Practices a Possible Catalyst

In Security by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Last year, Facebook had been ordered to stop collecting and combining data across its various platforms without explicit user consent. This latest ruling in Karlsruhe effectively negates the stay granted by the Dusseldorf court, and requires Facebook to once again comply with the original order. This could well trigger a domino effect of regulatory action against Facebook in the EU and the US.