Business Watch -- WSJ
April 28 2016 - 03:03AM
Dow Jones News
Getty Images
Complaint Is Filed With EU Over Google
BRUSSELS -- Getty Images Inc., the world's largest photo
company, said Wednesday it has lodged an official complaint with
the European Union's antitrust watchdog over Alphabet Inc.'s
Google, accusing the U.S. technology company of abusing its
dominance in search to display copied images without
compensation.
Getty Images said Google "scrapes" or copies content from
publishers to display the images in search results and unfairly
favors its own image-search service over rivals.
A Google spokesman declined to comment.
The fresh complaint comes after the European Commission filed a
new set of formal charges against Google last week for allegedly
abusing its dominance with its Android mobile operating system to
protect its search engine.
The EU has also charged Google with allegedly skewing search
results to favor its own shopping service. Google has denied the
allegations.
The commission is also investigating allegations that Google
scrapes rival Web content, but hasn't issued formal charges in the
area.
Getty Images alleges Google reinforces its dominance in search
and maintains a monopoly over site traffic, data and advertising by
proposing to remove the providers' images entirely from search
results if they don't consent to the content being copied.
Removing the images from search would make them invisible on the
Internet, the photo company said.
Getty Images, majority owned by private-equity firm Carlyle
Group and part-owned by members of the Getty oil family, has a
digital trove of more than 100 million images.
--Natalia Drozdiak
Uber Technologies
Huffington Post Founder to Join Board
Uber Technologies Inc. on Wednesday said Arianna Huffington,
founder and editor in chief of the Huffington Post, will join its
board.
In a blog post on Uber's website, Chief Executive Travis
Kalanick pointed to Ms. Huffington's experience building "one of
the most successful, innovative media companies in the world."
"For those of us who know Arianna, it's clear she knows a thing
or two about being an entrepreneur," he said.
Mr. Kalanick said Ms. Huffington's guidance has been
"invaluable" to him over the years.
"Arianna embodies the type of optimistic leadership we need as
Uber continues to grow," he said. "I know that in this new role,
she'll help take Uber to the next level."
Uber, which now offers its ride-hailing service in 375 cities
world-wide, has transformed the taxi industry by coming up with a
seamless way to match customers with its army of drivers.
In June, Ms. Huffington signed a new four-year contract to
remain at the Huffington Post at least through 2019. She founded
the site in 2005.
--Anne Steele
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 28, 2016 02:48 ET (06:48 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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