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Comment by stefan_kendall3 | Hacker News Reader

I hope they try to fine Google and they pull out of India entirely.

When coke pulled out, hundreds of new flavors came into the market. When IBM did, thousands of software companies sprung up. So yes I hope Google pulls out too - the worlds information would get organized in hundreds more useful ways.

It's tough to try to spin a $5b fine on a large company as a 'win' for consumers, but I see you'll give it a shot. Isn't this tacit admission that the different soda brands can only compete by legislative fiat? The only winners are the ersatz soda companies, and consumers pay significant costs, direct and indirect, in compliance with these kinds of market protection schemes.

So what you're saying is that a monopoly is preferable?

I hope so, too. Then we'll probably see an Indian-based search engine, like Yandex in Russia or Baidu in China, and it would be for the better for Indians.

But I doubt Google will quit. Google is trying to give people Internet in Africa, so they can one day be the main search engine there, too. Compared to that they are in a much better position in India, even if not everyone there has Internet now.

ok i will bite: why ?

Reading the comments, I guess the common sentiment is "to teach them (India) a lesson"?

Would that be a bad thing? I don't mean in a vindictive sense. Just so that the government might stop bullying companies.

Context of this case is different to those of others appeared recently in the past (those are tax related).

CCI is independent arm of Govt. Let it investigate. So "Govt bullying companies" line of reasoning won't apply.

There is no reason for them to hang around with such a big fine, since they make so little money India. This is like how google mostly pulled out of china, the costs and risks just were not worth the benefits.

can you provide any sources to how they make so little money in India?

as far as I know, India is one of the countries where google dominates in search. Which is not the case in China, google is not a major search engine in China. I just can't imagine they pulling out of India.

They just recently had heart warming google advertisements in TV which is very rare for google to do.

I think they made only 300 or so million revenue in the last 3 years, and as for profits much less, which completely out of proportion with the proposed fine (no sources for this, just word of mouth). India is still a developing market, advertisers don't pay as much as in the developed world.

The ad is probably ran because of the government...they want to build some support with the people so they are treated better.

To send a clear message to other countries who try to bully companies for cash.

It's a shakedown.

Nonsense. Some one complained and CCI is investigating and Google will act as per the verdict. Where is bullying in this? What else Govt. is supposed to do? Do not investigate?

Many companies get investigated in the America/west/China for various reasons. We all see that in news. All of that is bullying?

Do not bring old cases into the current context. Also, Google know rules before operating in India. Do not they?

Yes. The government is not supposed to threaten massive fines for companies wildly improving the quality of life for its citizens. It lessens the incentive to build great products and bring those products to an international market.

"Other countries do it" is not an excuse that makes something ethical or right.

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