Ask HN: Is it possible to have class action antitrust suit against Google?

15 points by ganeshkrishnan 7y ago ↗ HN

Google has been smashing their random account ban hammer and it's a lifetime ban for the account as well as any "related" accounts.

They usually recommend you to use "alternate playstores" but no such stores exist. Doesn't this reek of antitrust suit?

6 comments

[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 20.0 ms ] thread

mtmail 7y ago ↗

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Appstore exists. It might be smaller, not pre-installed on devices and less attractive for developers but it's an alternative.

ganeshkrishnan 7y ago ↗

Not outside of US and is not available on all devices ; default or otherwise

cududa 7y ago ↗

No. They’re not a monopoly and they aren’t obligated to sell you anything

JumpCrisscross 7y ago ↗

To be clear, OP may have a case. Just not under antitrust statute. (I’m not sure the public can bring antitrust charges anyway.)

onetimemanytime 7y ago ↗

Google is close to a trillion dollar company and a cash machine. While it's true that Google can employee dozens of law offices for many years, there are many other well funded law firms that would sue Google in a heartbeat, if they thought they had a chance. Risk vs reward and they'd even be financed by other parties.

So my guess is that we're not at that point yet. What Google does is public so lawyers know it too. It has to be illegal, not just scummy.

tempotemporary 7y ago ↗

You can smash them back via GDPR(if you are an EU resident).