U.S. Case Against Google Mimics Suit That Weakened Microsoft (1)

The U.S. government’s<-bsp-bb-link state="{"bbDocId":"QIII8ZDWRGG0","_id":"00000175-4bb6-da3c-a177-cbfea9360000","_type":"0000016b-944a-dc2b-ab6b-d57ba1cc0000"}">antitrust case against Google follows a similar path to its attack on Microsoft Corp. more than 20 years ago -- and that should make the internet giant nervous.

The suit focuses on payments Google makes to <-bsp-bb-link state="{"bbDocId":"QIF9SSDWRGG7","_id":"00000175-4bb6-da3c-a177-cbfea9370001","_type":"0000016b-944a-dc2b-ab6b-d57ba1cc0000"}">ensure its search engine is the default on mobile phones and web browsers. Google’s dominant market share and massive revenue allows it to spend billions of dollars a year on these deals, blocking out competitors from the valuable placements and limiting consumer choice, the Justice Department alleged.

It’s a similar argument the government made against Microsoft when it alleged in 1998 ...