This issue with Google is not really different than the Microsoft Internet Explorer versus Netscape twenty years ago. This is small potatoes in my opinion since one does not have to use Chrome just like one need not have used Internet Explorer- there are numerous other search engines available- "over 1500 search engines, including niche ones catering to specific features and unique to various countries. 30 of these are dedicated solely to general web searching."
Frankly, we have a larger issue at hand with industry consolidations and monopolistic issues than a search engine. Cell phone consolidiations hamper ability of consumers to change companies and inflate costs. Hospitals consolidations. The meat (beef & pork0 packing industry dominated by four companies increasing costs to grocers and consumers while squeezing farmers.[5] Similarly, the chicken process industry is also dominated by four large companies and squeezes farmer and grocers also. [6]
Meanwhile Meta and Alphabet gobble up would be competitors.
Meta/Facebook should never have been allowed to acquire Instagram or Whatsapp, for example. Meta gobbled up about 100 other companies. [2]
Google/Alphabet also acquired numerous other companies including, for example, Waze which was a competitor to Google Maps navigation system
According to one source, "The largest companies are increasing their dominance of industry market share as the U.S. economy becomes more consolidated. In 91 of the 157 primary industries tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the five largest U.S. companies by revenue combine for at least 80% of total revenue among publicly traded companies in their respective industries, up from 71 industries in 2000. The domestic market power of the biggest five companies has increased in 105 of those industries and decreased in just 38, though foreign competition in certain sectors, notably tradable manufactured goods, is not accounted for in the study. The increased concentration came as the number of U.S. public companies tracked by Market Intelligence fell to 4,947 in 2021, from 7,887 in 2000, driven by trillions of dollars of mergers and acquisitions."[1]
According to one study, "Hospital Consolidation Continues to Boost Costs, Narrow Access, and Impact Care Quality" with nearly 2000 mergers nationwide! [4]
[1]
[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Meta_Platforms
[3]
https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/stocks/what-does-alphabet-own/#:~:text=Nest%20Labs:%20$3.2%20billion%2C%20100%%20ownership%20since,Google%20wanted%20more%20control%20over%20its%20partner.
[4]
[5]
https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/january/concentration-in-u-s-meatpacking-industry-and-how-it-affects-competition-and-cattle-prices/#:~:text=Meatpacking%20industries%20concentrated%20rapidly%20in,with%20lower%20prices%20for%20cattle.
[6]
https://www.rafiusa.org/blog/big-chicken-companies-own-and-control-everything-except-the-farm-why/#:~:text=Just%20four%20companies%20control%20roughly,choose%20from%20to%20raise%20chickens.
