Search Engines

Google to challenge US govt over alleged digital ad monopoly in court

Google will confront the US government's latest attempt to topple its internet empire in federal court on Friday as a judge considers how to prevent the abusive tactics that culminated in parts of its digital ad network being branded as an illegal monopoly. The courtroom showdown in Alexandria, Virginia, will pit lawyers from Google and the US Department of Justice against each other in closing proceedings focused on the complex technology that distributes millions of digital ads across the internet each day. After a lengthy trial last year, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled in April that pieces of Google's ad technology had been rigged in a way that made it an illegal monopoly. That set up another 11-day trial earlier this fall to help Brinkema determine how to remedy its anti-competitive practices. Friday's closing arguments will give both Google and the Justice Department a final chance to sway Brinkema before she issues a ruling that probably won't come until early next ..

Reliance unveils four tech-driven growth engines for future expansion

Reliance Industries has built four high-powered growth engines of retail, digital services, media and entertainment, and new energy to propel the conglomerate's next phase of expansion, Chairman Mukesh Ambani said. Parallelly, Reliance is reshaping itself into a new-age deep-tech enterprise, he said in a message to shareholders in the firm's latest annual report. The firm, which traditionally had oil and petrochemicals as the growth drivers, has in the last few years ventured into retail - both online and physical stores - telecom and digital services, built a media empire around news and entertainment channels, and laid the foundation for giga factories for its clean energy foray. "Each of these (four) platforms is technology-first, innovation-led, and positioned to disrupt industries while delivering massive value to Indian consumers and the global market," Ambani said. On its mainstay cash-cow oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business, which houses the world's largest single location oil

Reddit plans major AI push to rival Google in search engine market: Report

Reportedly, Reddit is focusing on search tools and AI features to turn the platform into a full search engine and reduce dependence on Google

DuckDuckGo now lets users filter AI-made images in search results: Details

Reportedly, DuckDuckGo is testing a new image filter to hide AI-generated images in search, aiming to improve result quality and reduce generative content clutter

The AI browser market turns a new page: What are users getting now?

The AI browser market is expected to be worth around $76.8 billion by 2034, from $4.5 billion in 2024, according to a report by Market.US

OpenAI may launch its own AI web browser with agentic capabilities soon

Set to launch by July-end, OpenAI's new browser will reportedly feature native AI integration and task automation for a smarter, more intuitive web experience

Technological shift: Internet search moves from browser to bots, SEO to GEO

Marketers are turning to generative engine optimisation, which uses GenAI to create and optimise content for improved search engine ranking

Google case: Indian-origin US judge questions future of search amid AI rise

Indian-origin Judge Amit Mehta questions Google's search dominance amid AI rise, as DOJ seeks remedies including selling Chrome to boost competition and support AI rivals like OpenAI

Google sued for $6.6 billion in UK for abusing dominance in search

Google is being sued in the UK over allegations that the tech giant abused its dominance in the online search market to drive up prices

Think before you search: Four Google queries that could land you in jail

Google is the most popular tool to seek any sort of information, but some searches can have unexpected legal consequences. Governments now use advanced technology to monitor online behaviour

Apple seeks to defend Google's billion-dollar payments in search case

Prosecutors will seek to show Google must take several measures, including selling its Chrome web browser and potentially its Android operating system, to restore competition in online search

OpenAI opens ChatGPT Search access to all: What is it and how it works

The Search feature in ChatGPT integrates the functionality of a traditional search engine into the company's AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT

Australia to tax digital platforms, search engines that don't pay for news

The Australian government said Thursday it will tax large digital platforms and search engines unless they agree to share revenue with Australian news media organisations. The tax would apply from January 1 to tech companies that earn more than 250 million Australian dollars ($160 million) a year in revenue from Australia, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said. They include Meta, Google, Alphabet and ByteDance. The tax would be offset through money paid to Australian media organizations. The size of the tax is not clear. "The real objective ... is not to raise revenue -- we hope not to raise any revenue. The real objective is to incentivise agreement-making between platforms and news media businesses in Australia, Jones told reporters. The move comes after Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced that it would not renew three-year deals to pay Australian news publishers for their content. A previous government ...

ChatGPT maker OpenAI likely considering to take on Google with browser

The move could pit the Sam Altman-led company against Google, which commands the lion's share of the browser and search market

Hide name of those acquitted in a case: Delhi HC to portals, search engines

The Delhi High Court has observed that no public interest can be served by keeping information alive on the Internet after quashing criminal proceedings against a person and asked portals and search engines to mask the name of a man who has been acquitted in a case. The high court said the right to privacy is a fundamental right and forms an intrinsic part of Article 21 of the Constitution and the concept of right to privacy incorporates the right to be forgotten. "In the age of the internet, every piece of information that finds its way to the internet, gains permanence. The need to allow the masking of names of individuals acquitted of any offence or when criminal proceedings against such persons are quashed emanates from the most basic notions of proportionality and fairness," Justice Amit Mahajan said. The high court said while access to information is a fundamental aspect of democracy, the same cannot be divorced from the need to balance the right to information of the public .

DOJ to force Google to sell Chrome browser to break search monopoly

The company is able to see activity from signed-in users, and use that data to more effectively target promotions

Yelp sues Google in wake of antitrust ruling on monopolising search

A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company would vigorously defend against Yelp's meritless claims

Microsoft Bing chief to exit role after Mustafa Suleyman named AI leader

Parakhin, who had been chief executive officer for advertising and web services, will report to Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott while searching for his next role

Search engine Yandex owner to exit Russia in $5.2 bn deal: Report

Yandex has always sought to portray itself as free from Kremlin influence, a task that has become more challenging as the company has become such a strategic national asset

Google CEO lashes out at Microsoft in defense of search practices at trial

In testimony Monday morning, Pichai took a couple of swipes at Microsoft's browser, Internet Explorer