In response to the European Commission’s Statement of Objections to Google that recommends the enforced breakup of its Search and Display Advertising businesses, Tim Cowen, Legal Counsel for the Movement for an Open Web (MOW), said:
“A breakup of Google only solves half of the problem. Whilst selling sell side tools, DFP and AdX would remove one conflict of interest, it would still leave Google with monopoly control of the digital advertising market through the Chrome browser.
“Chrome gives Google control of more than 60% of the advertising data that flows across the web and they are already using that control to benefit themselves whilst blocking their competition. Even if Google is broken up, the remaining business would need to be subject to strict controls to ensure that it doesn’t misuse its still dominant market power: both structural change and change to behaviour is needed.”
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Paddy Herridge
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About MOW
The Movement for an Open Web is a campaign group dedicated to preserving an open and decentralised web in the face of efforts by the major platforms to exert monopolistic control over its operations.
Big tech corporations are trying to secure ownership and control of key aspects of the web, from people’s online identity to the way in which the internet is monetised. MOW draws attention to these issues to the public, media, regulators and policy makers.
MOW is not dedicated to preserving the status quo or any specific technological solutions. It simply asks that any fundamental changes to the way the web works are open and competitive, not proprietary and closed.
MOW is made up of a group of concerned organisations that want to preserve an open and decentralised web. They are by necessity anonymous for fear of retaliation from browser owners, in itself a clear indication of their market dominance.
Google Chrome had 62.9% share of the browser market in May 2023 according to https://www.similarweb.com/browsers/.