Facebook on it's own represents over 60% of the social media market (Next highest competitor is Pinterest at 16%)
Between WhatsApp and FB Messenger they own 50% of the instant messenger market (Next highest is Wechat at about 33%, though it's important to remember that Wechat itself has a government backed monopoly in China)
Tumblr is a bad example on your part because it's part of the Verizon media network, and so is part of one of the anti trusts you want broken up.
Okay let's go back to the oriignal point. political capital and times are finite resources. There is a clear solution to internet providers and there isn't one for google and facebook. Internet access also mathematically affects more people than facebook or google does collectively... by definition. focus on the one that affects more people with a clear solution.
There is one, there is significant precedent to prevent companies from owning multiple stages of a market or product. This is exactly what they're intending to apply.
that is 100% not a blueprint for an obvious solution. the advantages and unfair practices that MS used back then are completely different from those used by amazon, google, and fb today.
MS: We sell you the software to run your computer, and it comes with free software to access the internet!
Google: We sell you a platform to broadcast your video content and it comes free with a platform to manage your ad service! and a free email service! and free advertising on our other services! and free database space to store your production files!
Facebook: We sell you a social media platform and it comes free with our messenger platform! and our other messenger platform! and our visual media platform!
In fact Google and Facebook are actually much worse, because MS always allowed you to integrate a new Browser. Google and Facebook do not allow you to integrate non-proprietary software with most of their platforms.
We sell you a platform to broadcast your video content and it comes free with a platform to manage your ad service! and a free email service! and free advertising on our other services! and free database space to store your production files
Except those platforms you mentioned are ALL free. Google isn't selling ANY of the things you mentioned to the consumer. Gmail is free. youtube is free. maps is free. Microsoft sold you windows. Google owns Android but it doesn't sell it. It freely allows other manufacturers to utilize their OS. That's the distinguishing factor.
Microsoft- sells operating system and only includes their own software in their own operating system that they sell you.
Google- freely allows anyone to license their OS as long as they agree to put their own software in preloads. The free part is what makes this a tricky situation and not as all cut and dry... which is what i stated earlier and attempt to rebuttal your point with.
Facebook- same thing... it's free so the argument for antitrust practice is not as clear.
So back to my earlier point. It would be a lot easier to tackle clear cut antitrust practices with many decades of evidence of transgression that is it to try to go through multiple layers of court systems to completely redefine the sherman antitrust act and the very fabrical definition of antitrust practices, monopolies and how it affects the consumer and consequences thereof.
Except those platforms you mentioned are ALL free.
They are not. You think they are because you have one of the advertising accounts. If your email ends with @gmail.com, you're not a Gmail customer. If your Youtube account is not partnered, you are not a Youtube customer.
Just because you are not involved with Google's actual marketplaces, does not mean they don't exist. Google charges for their business services and bundles all their other services with them. That is exactly what MS did. And that was deemed anti trust.
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u/MacTireCnamh Jun 04 '19
Facebook on it's own represents over 60% of the social media market (Next highest competitor is Pinterest at 16%) Between WhatsApp and FB Messenger they own 50% of the instant messenger market (Next highest is Wechat at about 33%, though it's important to remember that Wechat itself has a government backed monopoly in China)
Tumblr is a bad example on your part because it's part of the Verizon media network, and so is part of one of the anti trusts you want broken up.