“IT’S GIVING ZIMBABWE” CHECK OUT WHY BURNA BOY OUTFIT LEFT PEOPLE TALKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
“IT’S GIVING ZIMBABWE” CHECK OUT WHY BURNA BOY OUTFIT LEFT PEOPLE TALKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Burna Boy, the famous Nigerian musician known for his hit songs like “Like to Party,” “Tonight,” and “Run My Race,” is causing a stir on social media with his unique style.
Burna Boy is a highly acclaimed artist who won a Grammy Award in 2021 for his outstanding music. He’s currently signed with Atlantic Records in the United States and is also the CEO of Nigeria’s Spaceship Records.
Fans are excited because Burna Boy is set to perform at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium on September 23, 2023. His last performance in South Africa at the Delicious International Food and Music Festival was a big hit, earning him lots of praise and making it a festival highlight. People can’t wait to see what he’ll bring to the stage this time!
Justice Department Continues Antitrust Trial Against Google
Ex-Google exec acknowledges aggressively seeking exclusive mobile deals
The Justice Department has continued its high-stakes antitrust trial against Google, seeking to demonstrate how the tech giant used various strategies to solidify its dominance in the search and advertising sectors, ultimately becoming a trillion-dollar company.
In the trial’s second day, the government focused on the role of Google executive Chris Barton, who was questioned about the billion-dollar deals Google struck with mobile carriers and other entities, securing its position as the default search engine on various devices and platforms.
Barton, who worked at Google from 2004 to 2011, testified that the number of Google executives dedicated to obtaining default status with mobile carriers significantly increased during his tenure. This strategic move was in response to the growing importance of handheld devices and early smartphone versions.
The government’s argument centers on Google’s control of the search market, which it claims has allowed the company to establish monopolies in segments of online search advertising. Given that search services are typically free, Google generates revenue primarily through advertising.
The Justice Department contends that Google engaged in practices such as paying approximately $10 billion annually to wireless carriers, device manufacturers like Apple, and browser makers like Mozilla. These payments were aimed at suppressing competition and maintaining Google’s search engine’s market share, which hovers around 90%.
In revenue-sharing agreements with mobile carriers and Android smartphone manufacturers, Google sought to have its search engine designated as the default and exclusive option. According to Barton, if Microsoft’s Bing was set as the default search engine on an Android phone, users would find it challenging to locate or switch to Google.
Barton, who claimed responsibility for leading Google’s partnerships with mobile carriers like Verizon and AT&T, estimated that these deals generated “hundreds of millions in revenue.”
The government also called upon Antonio Rangel, a professor of neuroscience and behavioral biology at the California Institute of Technology, to discuss the significant impact that defaults have on consumer behavior. Rangel noted that default settings create a strong bias toward the default option, whether it’s Google or Microsoft’s Bing, with a more pronounced effect on mobile devices than personal computers.
Google’s chief economist, Hal Varian, testified that while scale, or the volume of search queries Google receives, was important, he questioned its overall significance. He acknowledged the importance of certain search queries in effective advertising but pushed back on their overall importance.
The trial has major implications for the broader tech industry, which has faced allegations of anticompetitive practices. The outcome could shape the regulatory landscape for major tech companies, potentially impacting their market power and business practices.
Notable historical antitrust trials include Microsoft’s case in 1998 and AT&T’s in 1974. AT&T’s breakup in 1982 is credited with shaping the modern cell phone industry, while the Microsoft case is seen as paving the way for the rise of companies like Google in the digital space.
