Tech Won't Save Us Will Google’s Monopoly Be Broken Up? w/ Rob Larson
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Sep 19, 2024 
Rob Larson, author of "Mastering the Universe" and an economics professor, dives into Google's recent designation as a monopolist. He reflects on antitrust challenges, drawing parallels with Microsoft's past struggles. The conversation also highlights how billionaire philanthropy shapes public perception and the need for tech regulation, potentially treating major firms as public utilities. Larson emphasizes the importance of robust antitrust laws to ensure fair market dynamics and discusses the urgency of addressing power concentration in the tech industry.
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Antitrust and "Free" Products
- US antitrust law requires demonstrating "abuse of monopoly," often through higher consumer prices.
- Many tech products are "free," making antitrust cases difficult, as with Google Search.
Google's Monopoly
- Google's search dominance comes from network effects, similar to Microsoft's Windows.
- Google maintains its monopoly by paying companies like Apple and Mozilla to use its search engine as default.
Microsoft's Antitrust Case
- Microsoft's dominance in operating systems, like Google's search, stemmed from network effects.
- Microsoft's antitrust case arose from using its OS monopoly to crush Netscape's web browser.
