Citing Logistics, FTC Pushes Antitrust Inquiry Against Google Into January

Google was prepared to start the holidays early this week, by settling its antitrust dispute with federal regulators without a harsh punishment. But in shelving its inquiry until January, the Federal Trade Commission has put stronger penalties back on the bargaining table, people briefed on the investigation who were not authorized to speak publicly about it said.

Google and the agency had been planning to sign a settlement this week that would have said Google would change some of its behavior but that would not have been subject to court action. The agency may now demand a consent decree — a formal order detailing anticompetitive behavior and an agreement that if the company does the same thing again, it could be fined and subject to court sanctions. Google has instead offered voluntary concessions. But the people briefed, and others close to the negotiations, said the agency was unlikely to take a second look at one of the major issues — Google’s dominance in specialized search, like travel and local reviews — because the legal hurdles remain high.

Politico reports that European regulators appear headed toward a dramatically different conclusion to their antitrust probe of Google than their American counterparts — a binding agreement that could cost the search company dearly if violated.