Microsoft's legal problems grow as states join in antitrust effort
Article Abstract:
Microsoft is drawing legal charges from some US states concerning its marketing practices. State attorneys general held a secret meeting in Chicago earlier in Dec 1997 to discuss a possible multistate antitrust action strategy. Florida, Illinois, Minnesota and New York reportedly were among the participating states. The attorneys general decline to disclose details or the number of participants, but several sources say the legal action would involve only civil actions. The states recently succeeded in uniting to attack the tobacco industry for expenses pertaining to smoking-related illnesses. The European Commission's European Union antitrust division, which met last week with Ralph Nader's public interest group, is considering the launch of an investigation into Microsoft's business practices. The Ministry of International Trade and Industry in Japan and the Government of South Korea have opened separate investigations, according to Netscape attorneys.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1997
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Appeals court reinstates Microsoft antitrust settlement
Article Abstract:
A Federal Appeals court is reinstating the antitrust consent agreement between Microsoft and the US Department of Justice and in doing so is overruling the judgement of federal judge Stanley Sporkin. The appeals court says that Sporkin overstepped the bounds of his authority and ordered that the antitrust agreement be accepted in its current form. Analysts consider the consent agreement to be lenient and many industry officials say that the consent agreement should be more strict. Although the ruling removes the conflict between Microsoft and the Justice Department regarding the consent agreement, there are still a number of other legal questions surrounding Microsoft. The Justice Department is currently investigating antitrust problems regarding the company's plans to include its Microsoft Network online service in its forthcoming operating system Windows 95.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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Justice Dept. in new inquiry into Microsoft; marketing of products for Internet is at issue
Article Abstract:
The US Justice Department is now focusing its ongoing investigation of Microsoft on the marketing practices used by the company to promote its Web browser software. Microsoft has been notified that it will soon receive a written request for information from the department's antitrust division. Microsoft's chief competitor in the Web browser market, Netscape Communications, has accused the company of illegal marketing tactics and alleges Microsoft has breeched its 1994 consent decree with the government. Microsoft is accused of leveraging its dominance in the operating system market to force PC vendors to give its Explorer Web browser preference over Netscape's Navigator. Microsoft agreed not to use its position in the operating system market to gain a competitive advantage in other markets as part of the consent decree.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1996
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