Report: Google faces ultimatum over FTC antitrust investigation
Bloomberg reports that the Federal Trade Commission is pushing Google to settle "in the next few days."
The chairman of the Federal Trade Commission is pressuring Google to reach a settlement in its antitrust investigation into the company's competitive practices, according to a new report.
Citing two people familiar with the situation, Bloomberg reported that FTC Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz is pushing Google to make an offer to settle "in the next few days." Otherwise, the agency is expected to file a formal complaint.
According to Bloomberg, the sides have been negotiating for about two weeks. So far, Google has yet to propose a remedy for the agency's concerns. The FTC has been investigating Google for more than a year and a half amid complaints that it ranks search results from its own products higher than those of competitors, in an unfair use of its market dominance. The company has also been accused of abusing the patent system to hamper competition in the smartphone market.
In response, Google told Bloomberg that it is working with the FTC and is "happy to answer any questions they may have."