Everyone Loves Google, Until It's Too Big

[Commentary] The popularity of Google's search engine in the United States just grows and grows. In the past three years, its market share gains have even been accelerating, making some people wonder whether the company will eventually obliterate what remains of its competition in search. Consider this: As recently as July 2005, Google was ahead of Yahoo in market share by just six percentage points, at 36.5 percent to 30.5 percent, according to comScore, the market research company. Today, however, that advantage is much wider, at 63 percent to 21 percent. Many Web site owners who track where their visitors come from report that Google's search engine now refers 80 to 90 percent of their visitors. "You almost feel sorry for Google," said Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engine Land. "They're doing a good job and people are turning to them. But when they pass 70 percent share, people are going to be uncomfortable about Google becoming a monopoly." [Randall Stross is an author based in Silicon Valley and a professor of business at San Jose State University.]