A court filing in the U.S. Department of Justice’s case against Google over its alleged monopoly in the search market has revealed insights into the state of search market competition. It includes details about Google’s competitors like DuckDuckGo and Neeva, shedding light on their inner workings, revenue, and strategic decisions.
Google’s “Findings of Fact” filing traces the history of search competition, shedding light on Google’s innovation, search ads business, and distribution agreements.
Notable mentions include DuckDuckGo’s financials, which have been profitable since 2014, primarily from search advertising. The filing also highlights Neeva’s journey, from its founding by former Googlers to its pivot to enterprise and eventual sale to Snowflake.
Details from the filing reveal Google’s attempts to discredit DuckDuckGo’s search engine investment, despite acknowledging its efforts to improve search quality. The document also includes details about DuckDuckGo’s user base worldwide and its limited market share in the U.S. and Europe.
Image Credits: DuckDuckGo
Furthermore, the filing showcases Neeva’s attempt to offer an ad-free alternative to Google through subscriptions. Neeva’s journey and challenges, including its eventual pivot to enterprise and sale to Snowflake, are detailed in the document.
Illustrated with images and data, the filing presents the competitive landscape in search and the difficulties faced by potential Google competitors in establishing a foothold in the market. The document also alludes to Google’s dominance in the search and advertising sectors while hinting at the challenges faced by emerging players in the industry.
