Unsurprisingly, Microsoft and Google have taken their growing tit-for-tat rivalry to the courts. Yet again.
In the latest round, Microsoft execs are confirming they’ve been talking to antitrust regulators in recent months about Google’s dominant position in search and advertising and don’t dispute claims that Microsoft also may have helped encourage other search companies to come forward and register complaints with the European Union (EU).
Google execs pointed fingers at Microsoft earlier last week when three companies (two of which have explicit Microsoft ties) said they had been
talking to EU officials about alleged Google behaviors that disadvantage the search leader’s competitors. In a blog post on February 26, Microsoft Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David Heiner basically confirmed Microsoft’s not-so-behind-the-scenes involvement, reminding readers that Google and its execs have used the antitrust courts the same way. From that post:
