Report: European Parliament Wants Google Broken Up

Google and the European Union have a rocky relationship. The stranglehold Google has on search and search results is sometimes troubling to critics, with the European Commission charged with keeping a close eye on Google's goings-on. Several attempts by Google to satiate the demands of complainers has fallen short, while loud critics like the FOTU group continue to make their case that Google is gaming search to meet their own wants and needs. The latest solution might be the wildest yet, as a new report alleges officials in the European Parliament are preparing to ask the EC to have Google separate search from the rest of its services.

The cleanest example of why the back-and-forth has reached this point is best explained in a video, which is below. Produced by a conglomerate of Google's opponents in Europe, it's the simplest explanation for why they may want search and the rest of Google's services separated.

Unfortunately for Google, this proposal is said to have the support of Parliament's two largest factions, the European People's Party and Socialist Party. According to The Financial Times, the European Parliament has no direct authority to split up a company like Google, but influences the commission nonetheless.

The motion's final language is reportedly still in the works, but will be decided on ahead of a vote late next week.

Source: The Financial Times