Discussion

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  Thread incoming. AGs lawsuit v Google posted upon orders of court. Simply put, there is A LOT. I previously called Google “screwed” despite redactions but there are more eye poppers. I'm starting with Facebook market rigging allegations. Congrats Sheryl Sandberg on redaction. /1 …

• @khushitavasant Khushita Vasant on x

  In the @Google adtech #antitrust complaint *just* made public, the Texas-led lawsuit says this about the @Facebook agreement: “In Google's words, the Jedi program ‘generates suboptimal yields for publishers and serious risks of negative media coverage if exposed externally’”.

• @patrickmcgee_ Patrick McGee on x

  Facebook and Google allegedly agreed on quotas for how often Facebook would win publishers's auctions — “literally manipulating the auction with minimum spends and quotas for how often Facebook would bid and win,” complaint alleges. https://twitter.com/...

• @leah_nylen @leah_nylen on x

  In its own internal documents, Google said that “if it could not ‘avoid competing with FAN [Facebook Audience Network],’ then it wanted to collaborate with Facebook to ‘build a moat,’” the states allege

• @khushitavasant Khushita Vasant on x

  Facebook's support for header bidding posed a severe threat. So, #Google made overtures to #Facebook. “Internal Facebook communications reveal that @Facebook executives fully understood why @Google wanted to cut a deal with them: “they want this deal to kill header bidding.”

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  As you think about way real-time markets work, it's not only about pricing, too. It's about access to that data and even the effects of terms around time guarantees and thresholds. Facebook got longer time, again likely due to its market size and Google wanting to “Kill HB.” /12 …

• @patrickmcgee_ Patrick McGee on x

  Then comes @Facebook. In March 2017 Facebook throws its weight behind header bidding. Big threat. “Facebook communications reveal that Facebook executives fully understood why Google wanted to cut a deal with them: “they want this deal to kill header bidding.” https://twitter.com…

• @leah_nylen @leah_nylen on x

  Facebook had suggested publicly that it might adopt header bidding, which led Google to approach the social network about a deal. As Facebook executives described it internally: “they [Google] want this deal to kill header bidding.”

• @thezedwards @thezedwards on x

  “Facebook decided to dangle the threat of competition in Google's face so it could then cut a deal to manipulate publishers' auctions in its favor.” - just released court documents @ https://storage.courtlistener.com/ ...

• @khushitavasant Khushita Vasant on x

  Facebook's header bidding announcement was part of an “18 [month] header bidding strategy”—to draw Google in, as per internal @Facebook communication at the highest level, the unredacted adtech lawsuit reveals.

• @leah_nylen @leah_nylen on x

  The two companies reached an agreement nicknamed “Jedi Blue.” Facebook would get “information, speed, and other advantages in the ~43 billion auctions Google runs for publishers' mobile app advertising inventory each month” in exchange for abandoning header bidding.

• @leah_nylen @leah_nylen on x

  Update to my earlier piece: Apple that no representative from the company attended the Aug 2019 meeting.

• @patrickmcgee_ Patrick McGee on x

  Google doesn't want to compete with Facebook. Says it would rather “build a moat” by collaborating instead. Facebook anticipated this in “an 18 month head bidding strategy” — new unredacted detail.

• @thezedwards @thezedwards on x

  And now we know what Google has been actually doing to slow down ePrivacy.. The unredacted documents between Google & Facebook @ https://storage.courtlistener.com/ ... are outrageous. There are going to dozens of important ad tech, digital privacy stories from all the details we …

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  Here is (just some of) the previously language in the Facebook and Google allegedly illegal market rigging deal. Do you think this drew any red flags for the executives reviewing the deal? /14 https://twitter.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  It also involved providing a bunch of help in identifying users, allegations compare some of the methods to “inside trading” in that Facebook was uniquely win certain terms to block inside info. Congrats, Dan. /10 https://twitter.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  A gag order on its lower fees which absolutely impact how auction dynamics work. When I always have called Facebook and Google a duopoly, it was my hope people would understand the two companies were taking most growth and a deal like this plays into it. /11 https://t.co/eXojwWhK…

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  We hadn't seen Facebook's own internal messages showing it was blatantly obvious why Google wanted this alleged quid pro quo with Facebook so they would exit the market. “They want to kill header bidding.” Yeah, that's clear. /8 https://t.co/y9DaEEaXaM

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  Who would be the biggest target here? Well, Facebook had announced it was entering the market. (note, there are allegations that was done for bait)... we knew this but it's helpful to see the complaint in clear text and what Facebook got in return. /7 https://twitter.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  This is why killing header bidding was the #1 priority for a top Google executive. See the new information which is now unsealed ... and just let me know if it's at all unclear. /5 https://twitter.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  According to these allegations, Google's initial way for this executive to achieve this goal involved just stopping competition, innovation and investment. “forestall major industry investment in FB...” /6 https://t.co/l2wWk3ODQ3

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  Header bidding was bad because it allowed publishers to bypass fees which we now learn ranged between 19-22% of revenues. Also, a bit of foreshadowing here in the removed redactions as to why Facebook was a part of the threat. /3 https://twitter.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  It's pretty amazing to see the actual quotes from discovery. For instance the express purpose to “kill HB.” That's short for “header bidding” which was a significant threat to Google's business. /2 https://twitter.com/...

• @snowden Edward Snowden on x

  European lawmakers, data regulators, and privacy authorities must recognize that It is time to revise your approach to the internet giants, who have for the entirety of the post-2013 era actively, intentionally sabotaged the process of reform. https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @adfichter Adrienne Fichter on x

  ‼️Google said in a memo that it had “been successful in slowing down and delaying” the European Union's ePrivacy Regulation process and had been “working behind the scenes hand in hand with the other companies,” according to the filing.‼️ https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  Aaah, this makes more sense as Apple would be the fish out of water at any meeting to undermine privacy rights. Facebook and Google are the only two of the companies who have biz models built off surveillance - collecting more data on other companies' products than their own. htt…

• @fynnderella1 Fynn-derella on x

  G👀gle must be dismantled. They are caught red-handed rigging the entire marketplace. Ma Bell was taken down for MUCH less. Tech giants need to be regulated! #Bernanke #Rigged #exposed #Unredacted https://twitter.com/...

• @atomicadman Doug Garnett on x

  This thread is stunning. Facebook and Google apparently colluding .. including Google guaranteeing win rates for Facebook ad bidding... @acfou @AdContrarian https://twitter.com/...

• @dougsaunders Doug Saunders on x

  Competition is good for consumers and good for industries and good for the planet and good for entire economies, but individual companies hate it and will do absolutely anything to prevent it. Including the very largest companies, it seems https://twitter.com/...

• @marie_haynes Marie Haynes on x

  Oh wow. If you have issues with Google (or Facebook), grab a coffee and read this. It's a long but eye opening thread about collusion and monopolies and even stuff Google tried to redact about AMP🍿 https://twitter.com/...

• @courtneyr Dr. Courtney Radsch on x

  Wow. That a thread from @jason_kint, who slogged through a lawsuit against Google, helpfully highlighting & explaining important parts abt manipulation of ad tech market + impact on publishers @rankingrights @CIMA_Media @MarechalPhD @jeffjarvis @anyaSIPA @CMDSatCEU @Poynter @CJR …

• @khushitavasant Khushita Vasant on x

  There's more! “@Facebook ‘believed strongly’ that partnering with @Google was ‘relatively cheap compared to build/buy and compete in zero-sum ad tech game’. Facebook did not want to play zero-sum games”, unsealed Texas complaint reveals. #antitrust #adtech https://twitter.com/...

• @theregister @theregister on x

  The amended US states' antitrust complaint against Google has many allegations: * Google tried to ‘diminish child privacy protections in proposed regulations’ * It colluded with Facebook to bypass Apple's privacy protections * And more https://www.theregister.com/ ...

• @khushitavasant Khushita Vasant on x

  In the Google adtech antitrust #case, judge Castel in NY just ruled that most of the complaint filed by a multi-state coalition led by Texas will be made public as it's “a judicial document with a strong presumption of public access”. Including Jedi Blue agreement with @Facebook

• @moonalice Roger McNamee on x

  TX AG's antitrust complaint against Google will be made public. Among other things, complaint alleges price fixing between G and FB in adtech. If DOJ joins or takes the case, price fixing is a federal felony. Standard penalty is 3+ years in prison for executives. Very big deal. h…

• @lukolejnik Lukasz Olejnik on x

  American lawmakers are immediately concerned with Big Tech policymaking influence operations. So far European policymakers (where this influence has been exerted on a privacy regulation) went surprisingly silent. One may only wonder, why? #eprivacy https://www.politico.com/...

• @profcarroll David Carroll on x

  Adtech is a scam, even among the walled gardens. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...