Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Play Internet Monopoly

Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are engaged in a huge game of internet Monopoly. Figures in excess of $44 billion are being thrown around in the battle for control over search engines and internet advertising.

At the present time Google has a firm hold on this and the other contenders are trying to band together and break that hold. Monopoly commissions and other departments concerned with commercial power in Europe and US are watching the developments here very carefully.

It has been rumoured that Google has offered to lend money to large companies like Time Warner or News Corp. Google cannot openly buy Yahoo because of competition laws, but it may find another way of keeping control.

Currently, 50% of US internet searches are made through Google, with Yahoo coming in second. Microsoft trails behind at just 13.8%.

Experts say that these moves may eventually put an end to free email services like Hotmail. While these huge figures are being thrown around like Monopoly money, the only thing that is certain is that less competition on the internet can only be a bad thing for the everyday user.