By Nermeen Nabil Khear 
Japan’s competition watchdog reportedly issued a cease-and-desist order to Alphabet’s Google on Tuesday for anti-competitive practices in the first such action against a U.S. tech giant.
Google made smartphone makers prioritize its services, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) revealed in its investigation. The search giant is now required to appoint a third party to keep an eye on the company’s Japan branch and report back to the watchdog.
Google is not happy about it
Google expressed disappointment at the order, especially given how much it has invested as a company in Japan’s technology sector. However, it also said it would work with the JFTC to ensure Android remains a competitive choice.
It’s currently unclear if Google will take legal action to fight the order. In the U.S., a judge ruled last year that Google’s ubiquitous search engine illegally exploited its dominance to squash competition.
Google denied the allegations, arguing that its immense popularity is a direct result of people liking what it offers. Observers believe the appeals process is likely to take years.
Japanese regulators began their investigation into Google in 2023. They said they consulted with overseas authorities dealing with similar cases.
European regulators have also been vocal about what they have tagged Google’s monopolistic dominance. While Tuesday’s move marks the first time the Japan Fair Trade Commission has taken such an action against a major global technology company, it won’t be the last time as there now seems to be a worldwide push to curb the power such companies wield.
There’s a global push to curb tech giants’ power
Meta is under the FTC’s microscope as the regulator is looking into the social networking giant for its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram.
It has become increasingly necessary for government regulators to curb how much autonomy tech companies get as they carry out their daily activities.
Just recently, a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) raised new safety concerns about Facebook. It accused the social media company of hosting several “black market” pages where people can buy or rent driver accounts for several consumer-facing companies.
The report claimed that as many as 800,000 Facebook users belong to 80 groups that let users trade driver accounts for Uber, DoorDash, and other ride-share and delivery companies.
The process allows people to acquire the accounts without having to go through the screening process drivers are normally subjected to. This raises both safety concerns for customers and fears of possible identity theft for riders or people who place orders.
It is even worse than it seems because most people listing accounts will often ask prospective renters or buyers to contact them directly in a bid to keep the dealings under the radar.
Meta has said it is reviewing the report and will remove any content that violates its policies, which frowns upon the “buying, selling, or trading of Personal Identifiable Information.”
TTP says the existence of these groups is proof content moderation on Facebook was not being properly enforced, as many of the accounts had obvious names such as “Doordash & Uber Account For Rent And Sell Group.”
This is yet another reason why regulators have been going after big tech companies. There is a global desire to see them do better jobs at curbing acts like these on their platforms and in time more countries are sure to follow Japan’s lead.
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This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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