GOOGLE’S TRYST WITH ANTITRUST:COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES FROM THE EU AND THE US THROUGHA LEGAL AND ECONOMIC LENS

Abstract

We live in a world where technology fuelled multisided platforms currently run the economy. These platforms operate on complex business models, showcase unique characteristics that enable them to amass significant market power, and impact consumer welfare. Google is one such platform causing ripples in the economy with its ever-improving Google Search service that holds global market dominanceinonlinesearchmarketsandisincreasinglycomingunderthescrutinyofregulators across the globe to prevent the abuse of such dominance. The article undertakes a composite, critical andcomparativeanalysisofthetreatmentofGoogle’santicompetitiveconductintheEuropean Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) through a legal and economic lens. The comparative analysis of EU and the US assumes significance in the light of the two jurisdictions leading way intheglobal advancement ofcompetition law,technology,and legal treatmentofbig tech giants such as Google.