If ZoFreX's top 10 website list became a monopoly, you would have to abide by the rules for the monopolies. One of which is that you can't abuse your position to increase your market share in other industries.
For example, it would be against the rules to utilise ZoFreX's top 10 website list to display ZoFreX's skin cream website at the top of the list.
The key in this case is whether your other site that you are promoting is considered a different industry or market, and whether your monopoly in the top 10 lists market has unfairly influenced your position in another market.
There is probably a grey area if the list rankings were generated automatically in some way, but it could still be argued that knowledge of unpublished details of the list algorithms have given you a advantage, and unless you published full algorithm details you would probably be subject to accusations of fixing the list anyway. The rules are there to ensure that the markets remain competitive for others to do business in.
This is a very good explanation of what a monopoly is and why they need to abide to different rules. I think Google, like Microsoft before it, is getting pretty close to this situation, and we as a society need to look at them in this new light. In particular, we need to impose restrictions on what Google can legitimately do with all its power.
Comments
If ZoFreX's top 10 website list became a monopoly, you would have to abide by the rules for the monopolies. One of which is that you can't abuse your position to increase your market share in other industries.
For example, it would be against the rules to utilise ZoFreX's top 10 website list to display ZoFreX's skin cream website at the top of the list.
The key in this case is whether your other site that you are promoting is considered a different industry or market, and whether your monopoly in the top 10 lists market has unfairly influenced your position in another market.
There is probably a grey area if the list rankings were generated automatically in some way, but it could still be argued that knowledge of unpublished details of the list algorithms have given you a advantage, and unless you published full algorithm details you would probably be subject to accusations of fixing the list anyway. The rules are there to ensure that the markets remain competitive for others to do business in.
This is a very good explanation of what a monopoly is and why they need to abide to different rules. I think Google, like Microsoft before it, is getting pretty close to this situation, and we as a society need to look at them in this new light. In particular, we need to impose restrictions on what Google can legitimately do with all its power.
Thank you for this, very helpful explanation.