Google accuses Microsoft of proxy war

Last week, the European Union launched an antitrust investigation against Google, initiated by small companies close to Microsoft. It turns out that this is not an isolated case. The Wall Street Journal cites evidence of the so-called “proxy war,” that is, a global campaign that Microsoft organized against Google through small third-party firms and seemingly unrelated matters. Such “antimonopoly” cases are becoming more and more, they start in individual countries and US cities, but, surprisingly, they are opposed by highly paid lawyers from the best law firms, and sometimes by “former” top lawyers of Microsoft, now supposedly leading independent legal business. For example, the case of a small firm in Ohio against Google is being led by the famous Charles Rule (Charles “Rick” Rule), the former head of the antimonopoly committee of the US Department of Justice.

According to analysts, in the near future we can expect that many small businesses will merge into one large-scale process against the online “monopoly” of Google. The results can be catastrophic, the same as the results of the anti-monopoly process against Microsoft in the late 90s. The corporation was not able to correct its image after that loud process. Before it began, it was a promising innovative firm, and after the process it turned into a monopolist and a “corporation of evil” in the eyes of the public, and it cannot change this image so far.

Microsoft denies initiating claims, but confirms its willingness to provide legal assistance in preparing claims to all victims of any monopoly.

With the participation of Microsoft in Europe, the organization ICOMP (Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace) was created, the only target of which is only one company. Of course, this is Google.