INTERNET INDUSTRY – UNITED STATES

Google braces for conga line of claims

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Original article by Michael Pelly
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 15-Jun-18

Mills Oakley partner Stuart Gibson says at least 20 defamation cases against Google could proceed after the High Court ruled that Michael Trkulja can take legal action against the digital giant. Gibson represented Trkulja in his bid to overturn the Victorian Court of Appeal’s ruling that he had no prospect of success in his claim against Google. Trkulja launched legal action after search engine results implied that he was linked to Melbourne’s underworld.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, MILLS OAKLEY LAWYERS PTY LTD, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, COURT OF APPEAL (VICTORIA), YAHOO! INCORPORATED, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

Unlockd falls to Google threat and enters administration

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 13-Jun-18

Australian advertising technology group Unlockd has been placed in the hands of administrators from insolvency firm McGrath Nicol. Unlockd has attributed its descent into voluntary administration to the actions of Google, which has sought to ban Unlockd’s app from its Play Store and AdMob platforms. Courts in Australia and the UK have ruled in favour of Unlockd in its legal dispute with Google, which has been accused of engaging in "anti-competitive" conduct.

CORPORATES
UNLOCKD PTY LTD, McGRATH NICOL AND PARTNERS SERVICES PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES, MTV MUSIC TELEVISION, CITIBANK PTY LTD, CATCH-OF-THE-DAY.COM.AU

Unlockd pulls IPO following Google threat

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 & 16 : 17-Apr-18

Mobile advertising start-up Unlockd has been forced to abandon plans for an IPO after Google advised that its app does not comply with its terms of use. Unlockd’s app, which works by giving smartphone users a discount on their bill in return for seeing ads and other content when they unlock their phone, only works on phones that use Google’s Android platform. Unlockd co-founder Matt Berriman notes that Google previously had no problems with its app, and its action appears to have been prompted by the proposed IPO.

CORPORATES
UNLOCKD PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, HIGH COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Google flags $400m for journalism

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 22-Mar-18

Technology giant Google hopes to improve its relationship with international media companies via its Google News Initiative. Google has committed to investing $US300m ($A389m) in a range of news-related projects, including changes to its search algorithms to ensure that "authoritative" news sources are displayed first in its search results. Meanwhile, the Subscribe with Google project will make it easier for Google users to take out subscriptions with news publishers via Google’s platform.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, MAINCIHI, FIRST DRAFT, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Truth to triumph in Google’s new news algorithm

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 21-Mar-18

Technology giant Google has announced a range of initiatives that are designed to assist news publishers to gain more revenue from their content. Amongst other things, Google will change its algorithms to ensure that
"authoritative" news sources are given precedence in its search results, while it will also launch a program which will allow people to subscribe to a wide range of digital newspapers via their Google account.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, BUZZFEED INCORPORATED, WPP PLC

Google changes tack, works with publishers on subscriptions

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 3-Oct-17

Digital giant Google has responded to news publishers’ concerns by adopting a "flexible sampling" model for news content accessed via its search results. This will replace the "first click free" model, and allows publishers to determine how many of their news articles consumers can read before requiring a paid subscription. Richard Gingras of Google says the company will also co-operate with publishers in streamlining the process of signing up for paid subscriptions.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, FINANCIAL TIMES GROUP

Yahoo US deal may see Seven exit JV

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 21 : 13-Apr-16

There has been speculation that Australian-listed Seven West Media could seek to exit the Yahoo!7 joint venture if US internet giant Yahoo! divests its news and media assets. The joint venture boated revenue of $A99.6m in 2014-15, and Seven receives 50 per cent of Yahoo!7’s profits. Morgan Stanley recently forecast that global internet groups such as Google and Facebook will account for between $A4bn and $A5bn worth of advertising revenue in 2016.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, YAHOO! INCORPORATED, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, DAILY MAIL AND GENERAL TRUST PLC, DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, VIACOM INCORPORATED, IAC/INTERACTIVECORP, CBS CORPORATION

Expedia launches $703m takeover bid for Wotif.com

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Original article by Perry Williams, Madeleine Heffernan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15/20 : 8-Jul-14

US-based online travel bookings group Expedia has launched a takeover bid for Wotif.com. Investors have been offered $A3.30 a share in a bid worth $A703 million in total. Wotif co-founder Graeme Wood as well as CEO and MD Scott Blume have recommended shareholders accept the offer. Blume said competition in the sector was so intense that it was "eat or be eaten" for Wotif

CORPORATES
WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX WTF, EXPEDIA INCORPORATED, BOOKING.COM BV, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, PARADICE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SUMITOMO MITSUI FINANCIAL GROUP INCORPORATED, WILSON HTM LIMITED, HYPERION ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, UQ HOLDINGS, GUARDIAN MEDIA GROUP PLC, CCZ EQUITIES PTY LTD