Google Probe To Be Resolved In 2012, FTC Chairman Says

The Federal Trade Commission will resolve its antitrust investigation of Google “certainly by the end of the year,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. The FTC is “somewhere in the middle” of its probe of whether Google is abusing its dominance as operator of the world’s most popular search engine, Chairman Leibowitz said. Google disclosed on June 24 that the FTC had begun a review of its business practices. The FTC is focusing on whether Google unfairly ranks search results to favor its own businesses and increases advertising rates for competitors, people familiar with the investigation have said. The agency also is examining whether the company is using its control of the Android mobile operating system to discourage smartphone and device makers from using rivals’ applications.