Australia: Murdoch’s News Corp calls for breakup of Google

Rupert Murdoch’s Australian media company is calling for the breakup of Google, claiming the US tech company wields too much power over news outlets and online advertisers.

News Corp Australia stated breaking up the tech giant is a “very serious step,” but insisted that “divestment is necessary in the case of Google, due to the unparalleled power that it currently exerts over news publishers and advertisers alike,” according to a submission to Australian regulators published on Tuesday.

Specifically, News wants Google Search separated from the rest of Google’s business, it said. The Murdoch-run company owns eight of the country’s top ten newspapers, including The Australian and the Daily Telegraph.

The submission was part of a government inquiry into the power of digital platforms and their impact on news and journalism.