Para 141 of Texas AG filing against Google & Facebook is incredible: Facebook gave Google access to people's end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp messages, photos, videos, and audio files.
I want to see the text of that deal. Was it in US only, or EU too? https://t.co/RZle0sjyuA pic.twitter.com/ObymSe06ly

— Johnny Ryan (@johnnyryan) December 17, 2020

This is the best explainer yet on today’s AG antitrust case against Google. The filing asserts that Google conspired with Facebook in the digital ads market. If they can prove it — and they appear to have evidence — Google and FB are in huge trouble. https://t.co/ThL416sOU8

— Roger McNamee (@Moonalice) December 17, 2020

OK, whew. I've now read all 130 pages of state AGs suit v Google.

In three words, Google is royally screwed.

Expect...
Press headlines: Facebook and Google colluded!

Deeper dives: Google turned open web into a walled garden of tying, exclusionary tactics, and privacy fixing.

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 16, 2020

New: We figured out what the secret Google-WhatsApp deal was about and what else the Texas AG's antitrust lawsuit against Google's ad tech seems to be missing.https://t.co/BkOK2a0qqD w/ @alexeheath @csternopher $goog

— Amir Efrati (@amir) December 17, 2020

Let's see here.

12 states signed on to federal suit, after California joined late.

10 states total listed in the Texas suit.

If we get to 30+ in this suit, some states have to be doubling up ... https://t.co/ZdtQAY1bCg

— Jeremy C. Owens (@jowens510) December 16, 2020

If these allegations are true, then both companies may have violated antitrust law—and committed felonies in the process https://t.co/cUhNuVxw1Y

— WIRED (@WIRED) December 17, 2020

One of the most interesting parts of this Texas complaint is an allegation that Google diffused a threat from Facebook by agreeing to give it special advantages in ad auctions. If true, an obvious anticompetitive move by both parties

— Daisuke Wakabayashi (@daiwaka) December 16, 2020

If the GDrive backup was unencrypted content (ie Google could mine it), and Google and FB didn’t make that clear, then that seems like a problem.

— Peter Sterne? (@petersterne) December 16, 2020

BIG TECH.?️

"Texas plans to hire Ken Starr, the former independent counsel in the investigation that led to President Bill Clinton's impeachment, to represent the state in an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.'s GOOGLE"...https://t.co/gQJxJjXbpA

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) December 17, 2020

Google gets huge amounts of data from Android backups. Apple gets huge amounts of data from iPhone backups. Huawei gets huge amounts of data from their phones. There are legit concerns of how that is used, but this filing doesn’t seem like an accurate interpretation.

— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) December 16, 2020

"As internal Google documents reveal, Google sought to kill competition and has done so through an array of exclusionary tactics, including an unlawful agreement with Facebook, its largest potential competitive threat, to manipulate advertising auctions." https://t.co/BvXnXYeSqe

— Deepa Seetharaman (@dseetharaman) December 16, 2020

Another day, another enforcement action against Google. Has anyone at Google ever thought that complying with the law (antitrust, consumer protection, privacy, copyright) might actually be the best lobbying strategy? https://t.co/bgY1JEozRC

— Rossoglou Kostas (@kostasrossoglou) December 16, 2020

if that's the case and the rest of the Texas filing is this messy, i'd understand why 30+ AGs decided to sue Google separately https://t.co/6h0xoR246L

— Taylor Hatmaker (@tayhatmaker) December 16, 2020

Oh. If THIS is what they’re talking about, the Texas AG’s description is incredibly misleading. https://t.co/N80MczCkmN

— Julian Sanchez (@normative) December 16, 2020

I mean, yes, we’re all in awe of how Facebook and Google colluded through a direct agreement to own advertising together on top of their respective anticompetitive practices.

But what I really want to find out is: which Star Wars character did they name that deal after? pic.twitter.com/zzlfNeCv0V

— Robin Berjon (@robinberjon) December 16, 2020

8. The allegations that Google & FB conspired to fix prices & allocate markets are huge, potentially worthy of criminal charges. Basic gist is that Google gave FB's special info & speed advantages so that FB would back off. Great @GiladEdelman overview: https://t.co/E6vdypkDfk

— Lina Khan (@linamkhan) December 17, 2020

Facebook has a featured role in this Google antitrust lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/XdYFRdBKuJ

— Deepa Seetharaman (@dseetharaman) December 16, 2020

how far have we come that politicians are making campaign-style ads about taking on the tech companies instead of throwing buckets of money at them to send a few data center jobs to their state https://t.co/LCMl0Hs7HO

— Paris Marx ☭ (@parismarx) December 17, 2020

#BREAKING: Texas takes the lead once more! Today, we’re filing a lawsuit against #Google for anticompetitive conduct.

This internet Goliath used its power to manipulate the market, destroy competition, and harm YOU, the consumer. Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/fdEVEWQb0e

— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) December 16, 2020

"Google overcharged publishers for the ads it showed across the web and edged out rivals who tried to challenge the company’s dominance.... Google had reached an agreement with Facebook to limit the social network’s own efforts to compete" https://t.co/7zotBPxEiK

— Dan Froomkin/PressWatchers.org (@froomkin) December 17, 2020

Nice explainer in the NYT on the alleged conspiracy between Google and Facebook, spelled out in new 10 State AG complaint, to restrict competition for publishers and thereby permit Google to overcharge publishers for the ads they showed.

Whoa if true.https://t.co/j9i3KIzq02 pic.twitter.com/Sj48ZHSLWE

— Hal Singer (@HalSinger) December 17, 2020

미국 10개주 검찰 구글이 온라인 광고 사업에서 기술의 독점적 지위 불법으로 악용했다며 기소. 웹 광고 노출 대가로 퍼블리셔들로부터 폭리 취하고 경쟁사들 누른 혐의. 이 과정에서 페북과 온라인 광고액 답합한 혐의도. 자유시장이 야구라면 투수 타자 심판 노릇 다 한다며.https://t.co/8naONXQnol

— Journey (@atmostbeautiful) December 17, 2020

Reading the Texas AG complaint against Google with the sinking realization that The Big Short 2 is going to be about the arcane details of online ad auctions. https://t.co/U35IRst3nE

— Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) December 17, 2020

US. “10 States Accuse Google of Abusing Monopoly in Online Ads. The suit focuses on the advertisements that generate a vast majority of the company’s profits.” https://t.co/Fm0vrG1NNj

— Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius (@fborgesius) December 17, 2020

Tectonic plates. This one aims its stake at heart of the beast: how Google divides and rules advertisers and publishers https://t.co/Nf88tUx1Xb

— Christian D'Cunha (@BeterOpDeFiets) December 16, 2020

In the US, "ten state attorneys general on Wednesday accused Google of illegally abusing its monopoly over the technology that delivers ads online, adding to the company’s legal troubles with a case that strikes at the heart of its business." https://t.co/qqtQiX1ror

— Rasmus Kleis Nielsen (@rasmus_kleis) December 17, 2020

Jackpot. The Times moves first. We’ve been waiting on the Google advertising lawsuit despite the rumors (and press reports) that the search case was coming next. Reporters have been buzzing all morning. https://t.co/dnFlmHFQFh

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 16, 2020

why do everyting be droppin before holdiays.....https://t.co/iXsabHdDuD

— rat king (@MikeIsaac) December 16, 2020

THIS should have #TechTyrants shaking in their boots. It's reckoning time. https://t.co/vsfNPQQwBT
This is a HUGE story.

— Joe Pags Pagliarulo (@JoeTalkShow) December 16, 2020

The Info analyzes the TX AG suit in a revealing way. The Info writes that the TX AG’s allegations around Google and WhatsApp concern a “mundane" practice—if you back up WhatsApp in Google, Google scans it. https://t.co/JFyoz6LQR6?

— Chris Hoofnagle (@hoofnagle) December 17, 2020

WOW. I didn’t realize how arrogant Google and Facebook were to try old-skool price fixing this explicit.

Looking forward to FTC, SEC, and FBI here. https://t.co/Cl7WbFwsvS

— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 17, 2020

"I can't imagine how many journalists' jobs were taken by this alleged conduct.” Me to @leah_nylen https://t.co/R2wh7RC4lX pic.twitter.com/dceqYLbDUM

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 17, 2020

The most interesting tidbit in today's Texas suit: https://t.co/CTXVXyTCQf

— Leah AntiTrustButVer1fy Nylen (@leah_nylen) December 17, 2020

FYI to editors/journalists gaming out this week’s noisy Google antitrust coverage:

“Google faces *third* antitrust lawsuit Thursday as 30 U.S. states plan action - source | Reuters” https://t.co/7HEyre1Vv4

— Luther Lowe (@lutherlowe) December 17, 2020