If the latest reports are accurate, then Google may be getting away from this FTC antitrust investigation related to its search results, unscathed.
The New York Post reports today that it has learned that regulators are expected to close their investigation of the company’s search business without finding any antitrust violations, and that the FTC will announced before the end of the year that Google did not cause harm to consumers or favorite its own businesses.
Reuters, as referenced by the Post, reported a week ago that Google’s competitors hoping to see action brought against Google may be “taking their grievances” to the Department of Justice, which originally lost out to the FTC in the battle for who would conduct this investigation to begin with. According to that report, at least one of the competitors has already met with the DoJ.
Earlier this week, Congressman Darrell Issa sent the FTC a letter requesting an outline of how the commission views its authority to regulate Google’s business practices.
Of course, even if Google does come away unscathed here in the U.S. it still has Europe to deal with.