IndustryGermany to Treat Google Like a Public Utility?

Germany to Treat Google Like a Public Utility?

German officials are planning to clip the wings of tech giants such as Google through heavier regulation. The country's Federal Cartel Office would be given powers to curtail Google's influence, were it decided that it had got too big for its boots.

google-germany-reunification-doodle-2008German officials are reportedly planning to clip the wings of technology giants such as Google through heavier regulation.

The country’s Federal Cartel Office would be given powers to curtail Google’s influence, were it decided that it had got too big for its boots, according to a report from the Sunday Times.

A document obtained by the newspaper says that under the new rules, technology companies would be treated and regulated like public utilities such as electricity and water and subject to the same anti-competitive pricing laws governing their advertising.

Proposals to legislate the internet as a utility are at the heart of the debate that’s underway in the U.S. right now, where the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is coming under increasing pressure to classify ISPs as “Title II” utilities in order to protect net neutrality.

In Europe, a commitment to net neutrality is already in place, and any German legislation would only serve to further solidify the country’s commitment to avoiding technology strangleholds.

Full details of the 30-page document are yet to be released, with varying reports of its potential impact, ranging from “last resort” to “all out regulation”.

This article was originally published on the Inquirer.

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