Federal Trade Commission had been looking into whether Google’s search practices give it an unfair advantage over its competitors. The investigation is coming up on the one-year mark, and has been moving along unremarkably – until yesterday. The FTC announced it has hired outside prosecutor Beth . Wilkinson, the hot-shot who prosecuted Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing case, to join the investigation. By most accounts, this means war. From the New York Times: “Several antitrust experts compared the hiring of Ms. Wilkinson — who has brought about 40 major cases in government and private practice and won them all — to the government’s hiring of David A. Boies to represent it against Microsoft.” Wilkinson is the Shaun White of law. The Minnesota Fats of justice. The Michael Phelps of prosecution. She – is – Shaft. A bad muthah (shut your mouth).
Wait, was that an earthquake just reported in Silicon Valley? No, just the rumble from the collective boot shivering coming from Google headquarters.
The Times quotes Wilkinson talking about the case:
“Technology is transforming our society,” Ms. Wilkinson said in an interview. “It affects people at every level. As a mother, I see it with my kids. As a professional, I see it affecting our work. And in society, it impacts privacy, competition, our interactions with other people — just about everything.”
It’s likely that just after she said this, she ducked behind the Supreme Court and flew off in her invisible jet.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
