A power point about the history of google and how they can be considered a monopoly

1. Google’s Monopoly
Bryan Best

2. My research topic is Google’s monopoly
Over the years, Google has become one of the largest companies in the world. They own the most
used search engine and video platform on the internet, along with one of the most used GPS and
mapping apps. They can monitor the searches and video histories of anyone using their websites,
along with tracking their locations if they use android phones. Through all this, they are in a
dangerous position of being able to monitor their users, and are able to exert their influence over
the spread of information based on weighting where it would show up in search engine results.

3. History of Google
Google was founded in September of 1998 with their search engine. In 2001, the company became
publicly traded. Over the next decade, Google branched out into many other fields such as Google
Maps, Google Drive, buying Youtube, and the web browser Google Chrome. In 2015, Google
restructured into the conglomerate Alphabet, and separated its divisions into their own companies.
Since then, they’ve done a few questionable things that could be considered abusing their influence,
such as Project Owl having reports of Google deciding what should and shouldn’t be seen by their
“average users.”

4. Individuals Involved in Google
 Larry Page – One of two co-founders of Google. He was the CEO until 2001, where he then
moved to President of Products until 2011, where he became CEO again. In 2015 he became the
CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. when it formed.
 Sergey Brin – One of two co-founders of Google. He was the President of Technolog until 2015
where he became the President of Alphabet Inc.
 Eric Schmidt – Google’s CEO from 2001 through 2011. During interviews, he’s made statements
about how intrusive Google can be, with one example being: “We don't need you to type at all.
We know where you are. We know where you've been. We can more or less know what you're
thinking about.”

5. Questions I have
 1. What regulations have been set in place to attempt to curb the information Google can have
on individuals?
 2. What has Google done, if anything to abuse their position?
 3. When was the point where they started doing these things?
 4. What can be done to regulate them?

6. Google’s Monopoly doesn’t lead to guaranteed
innovation on their part
An article I saw while researching described how Google’s monopoly doesn’t stifle smaller businesses
or mean that the sectors that they dominate are stagnating. However, that is what a monopoly
causes in essence. At the moment, smaller companies have no hope of rivaling Google in the search
engine or video hosting service department. As there is essentially only one company in these fields,
that means that even if they do attempt to innovate it will happen much slower than if multiple
companies were competing in the same area and had pressure to ensure their product is the
superior one.

7. Bibliography
 Bellis, Mary. “Google: The Story Behind One of the Richest Companies in the World.” Thoughtco.,
Dotdash, 18 Jan. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-google-1991852.
 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Sergey Brin.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia
Britannica, Inc., 7 Feb. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Sergey-Brin.
 “Larry Page.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, www.forbes.com/profile/larry-page/#4f384f77893e.
 Radia, Ryan. “Is Google a Harmful Monopoly?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 Apr.
2016, www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/04/28/is-google-a-harmful-
monopoly/monopolies-like-google-are-innovators-which-is-good-for-consumers.