Google in the European Union: A victim of its own success

[Commentary] Google is under fire across Europe.

European Union regulators and others may criticize Google, but it plays an important role in enabling the information society that the EU desires. Theoretically, it can help the EU realize one of its key goals, helping small- and medium-sized enterprises conduct e-commerce across the continent and beyond. Simply put, the fault is not on Google, but on the European Union itself. Rather than regulate Google, the smart answer for the EU would be to create a common legal framework that applies equally to all service providers.

[Layton studies Internet economics at the Center for Communication, Media, and Information Technologies at Aalborg University]