Brazil antitrust body opens Google probe

Brazil's antitrust authority said Friday it has opened a probe into allegations that Google engaged in anti-competitive practices in the domestic online search market, AFP reports. CADE said it acted following complaints made by the E-Commerce Media Group, which owns the sites Buscape and Bondfaro, as well by Microsoft, owner of the online search engine Bing. "We will of course work with Brazilian regulators to address any questions or concerns they may have," US Internet giant Google said in a statement. "Governments and courts around the world -- including in Brazil -- have already examined competition issues thoroughly and found no violation of law," it added. Google stands accused of favoring its own e-commerce search websites, such as Google Shopping, through discriminatory ad placement and content management, to the detriment of its competitors. Google is also blamed for unfair data collection practices. CADE did not say how long its investigation will take.