CEO Sundar Pichai knew about Google’s Incognito mode issue in 2019, but kept it ‘out of spotlight’, lawsuit alleges
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Google begins courtroom battle with EU in bid to quash record $5 billion fine over Android dominance
Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Margrethe Vestager, the European competition commissioner. Reuters
Google has begun a five-day court battle with the EU over a $5 billion fine issued in 2018.
Lawmakers say Google used Android’s dominance to push its own apps and services.
The company is facing mounting antitrust pressure in both the EU and the US.
See more stories on Insider’s business page.
Google has entered a five-day court battle with the European Union, as the tech giant seeks to overturn a $5 billion antitrust fine issued by the bloc in 2018.
The EU fined the tech giant over allegations of anti-competitive behavior - involving shopping, Android, and search advertising - three times in as many years: first for $2.7 billion in 2017, again for $5 billion in 2018, and once more for $1.7 billion in 2019.
In the second case, European competition authorities accused Google of abusing its dominant Android mobile operating system to cement the popularity of its own apps and services.
The bloc said Google had forced phone makers to preinstall its Chrome browser and its Search app as a condition for accessing the Play App Store.
Lawmakers also accused the company of illegally paying manufacturers to preinstall its Search app exclusively, protecting its search business from competition, and preventing Android phone makers from selling devices that run “forked” versions of the operating system. Google has repeatedly denied the commission’s findings.
The company’s lawyers will be seeking to overturn the bloc’s record $5 billion levy this week at the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg. The court is used to hear cases against the institutions of the EU.
“Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world,” a Google spokesman said. “This case isn’t supported by the facts or the law.”
In a 2018 blog post reacting to the $5 billion fine, Google CEO Sundar Pichai argued that the current Android system had “created more choice, not less” through its business practices, and that the EU’s decision risked upsetting “the careful balance that we have struck with Android.”
“Today’s decision rejects the business model that supports Android, which has created more choice for everyone, not less,” Pichai wrote at the time.
Google faces mounting antitrust pressure on either side of the Atlantic, with attorney generals from 36 US states, and Washington DC, recently lodging a complaint over the firm’s control of the Android app store.
Insider approached the European Commission for comment.
Are you a current or former Google employee with more to share? You can contact this reporter securely using the encrypted messaging app Signal (+447801985586) or email (mcoulter@businessinsider.com). Reach out using a nonwork device.
Are you an eco-friendly traveler? Google is now marking hotels as green certified
Google is building a feature for travelers to differentiate hotels and resorts that are eco-friendly and have sustainable practices.
During a Google search for hotels, some on the list now will have a tag that says “Eco-certified” next to a green leaf.
By clicking “Learn More,” and then navigating to the hotel’s “About” tab, there should be a “Sustainability” tab that describes what sustainable practices the hotel employs and what certifications it has received.
Sustainable practices can range from conserving water by reusing towels to providing vegetarian meal options for guests.
The Sustainability section information is self-reported by hotels and not independently verified by Google.
However, to receive an eco-certified badge, hotels must contact a globally recognized and reputable agency to conduct an on-site audit of the hotel’s sustainability practices. The evaluation must focus on environmental impact from at least four categories: energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and sustainable sourcing.
►Marriott hotel sustainability: Eco-friendly hotels? Marriott announces plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050
Google is partnering with organizations like Green Key or EarthCheck to perform these certification processes.
EarthCheck is a scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, and it has certified hotels in more than 70 countries. Hotels are EarthCheck certified based upon standards set by the final report of the World Summit for Sustainable Development that was held in Johannesburg in 2002.
GreenKey is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 3,200 hotels and other establishments in 65 countries. Hotels are assessed under a set of criteria in topics like staff involvement, washing and cleaning, waste, green areas and corporate social responsibility.
Google, as part of its broader sustainability efforts, will be partnering with Travalyst to build models for calculating carbon emissions associated with travel.
►Paint can increase sustainability: Scientists created the world’s whitest paint. It could eliminate the need for air conditioning.
A year ago, Google CEO Sundar Pichai made a commitment towards completely operating on carbon-free energy by 2030.
“A few years ago, flooding devastated Chennai, where I grew up. Seeing the images of the city—which had experienced extreme drought for so many years of my life—covered in flood waters, really made the impacts of climate change feel much closer to home. Last week, many of us woke up to orange skies in Northern California as wildfires continue to rage up and down the West Coast,” wrote Pichai in a Google press release, “The world must act now if we’re going to avert the worst consequences of climate change.”
Google reached carbon neutrality in 2007, and on Sep. 14, 2020, it removed all the carbon it emitted since its inception in 1998.
Many other tech organizations, including Microsoft and Amazon, have made commitments to become carbon neutral or carbon negative, albeit at a slower pace than Google.
In a press release by Microsoft, they set goals go be carbon negative by 2030, and by 2050, Microsoft said itwill remove from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted since 1975, thus eliminating its carbon legacy.
Amazon pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2040 and 100% renewable energy-based by 2025.
Facebook has committed to reaching net zero emissions across its value chain by 2030.
Michelle Shen is a Money & Tech Digital Reporter for USATODAY. You can reach her @michelle_shen10 on Twitter.