Google warned by EU's antitrust inquiry of "search manipulation concerns".

Google warned by EU's antitrust inquiry of "search manipulation concerns".(Telegraph).By Emma Barnett.Google has been warned about manipulating search results for its own gain by the European Competition Commissioner and given a matter of weeks to find remedies for the problems outlined in the large anti-trust inquiry into the search company’s business. In a letter to Google’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, the EU’s anti-trust chief, Joaquin Almunia, outlined for the first time four areas of concern that have arisen through its lengthy investigation into the company. The Commission began an antitrust investigation into the internet search giant in November 2010 after complaints from rivals, including Microsoft, that it had abused its dominant market position. Almunia’s first concern centres on Google’s manipulation of search results. “In its general search results, Google displays links to its own vertical search services differently than it does for links to competitors,” he said. “We are concerned that this may result in preferential treatment compared to those of competing services, which may be hurt as a consequence.” Secondly he is concerned about Google’s observance of copyright laws. “Our second concern relates to the way Google copies content from competing vertical search services and uses it in its own offerings,” Almunia explained. Icomp, an internet lobbying body, financially backed by Microsoft, which has complained about Google's dominance in the past, welcomed Almunia's statements. An Icomp lawyer, David Wood, said Almunia "implies that the commission has found that Google's behaviour constituted an abuse of its dominant position in the online search market".Read the full story here.