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Various Google logos are displayed on a Google search on Sept. 11, 2023, in New York. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Monday that Google's ubiquitous search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation in a seismic decision that could shake up the internet and hobble one of the world's best-known companies.

Various Google logos are displayed on a Google search on Sept. 11, 2023, in New York. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Monday that Google's ubiquitous search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation in a seismic decision that could shake up the internet and hobble one of the world's best-known companies. Richard Drew/AP hide caption

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Richard Drew/AP

Business

Google loses massive antitrust case over its search dominance

The highly anticipated decision comes nearly a year after the start of a trial pitting the U.S. Justice Department against Google in the country's biggest antitrust showdown in a quarter century.

Is Google search getting worse?
Don Ryan/AP Photo

The Indicator from Planet Money

Is Google search getting worse?

There are many anecdotal complaints about Google search not being what it used to be. A German computer scientist and his colleagues put this theory to the test recently focusing on product reviews. Today on the show, we bring their findings to Google's chief search scientist.

Is Google search getting worse?

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AI gets scientists one step closer to mapping the organized chaos in our cells

The inside of a cell is a complicated orchestration of interactions between molecules. Keith Chambers/Science Photo Library hide caption

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Keith Chambers/Science Photo Library

Short Wave

AI gets scientists one step closer to mapping the organized chaos in our cells

As artificial intelligence seeps into some realms of society, it rushes into others. One area it's making a big difference is protein science — as in the "building blocks of life," proteins! Producer Berly McCoy talks to host Emily Kwong about the newest advance in protein science: AlphaFold3, an AI program from Google DeepMind. Plus, they talk about the wider field of AI protein science and why researchers hope it will solve a range of problems, from disease to the climate.

AI gets scientists one step closer to mapping the organized chaos in our cells

Listen · 14:05
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U.S. v. Google: As landmark 'monopoly power' trial closes, here's what to look for

The Department of Justice and a group of 35 states sued Google in 2020 for allegedly using anticompetitive tactics to monopolize online search. The trial is over and closing arguments are under way. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Business

U.S. v. Google: As landmark 'monopoly power' trial closes, here's what to look for

Is Google an illegal monopoly that's thwarted rivals to remain on top or is it simply a beloved search engine? Now it's up to the judge to decide.

Google worker says the company is 'silencing our voices' after dozens are fired

Google has a contract with the Israeli government where it provides the country with cloud computing services. Not all Google employees are happy about that. Alexander Koerner/Getty Images hide caption

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Alexander Koerner/Getty Images

Business

Google worker says the company is 'silencing our voices' after dozens are fired

The tech giant fired 28 employees who took part in a protest over the company's Project Nimbus contract with the Israeli government. One fired worker tells her story.

Google worker says the company is 'silencing our voices' after dozens are fired

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Google blocks California news in response to bill that would force tech giant to pay

Some California users of Google were not able to access local news on Friday after the tech giant restricted news links in the state in response to a bill that would force the tech giant to pay publishers. Don Ryan/AP hide caption

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Don Ryan/AP

Technology

Google blocks California news in response to bill that would force tech giant to pay

The company on Friday said it has started blocking California-based news outlets to protest a pending bill that supporters say would extend a lifeline to the ailing news industry.

From left: didn't stop, can't stop, won't stop

From left: didn't stop, can't stop, won't stop Leon Neal/Getty Images; Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images; David Becker/Getty Images hide caption

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Leon Neal/Getty Images; Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images; David Becker/Getty Images

The NPR news quiz

How much money do you need to earn to buy a house these days? Find out in the quiz

This week, the April 8 total solar eclipse inspired Barbie-level coverage mania at NPR. But it turns out other things happened too! Were you paying attention?

Chinese national arrested and charged with stealing AI trade secrets from Google

A former Google engineer was charged with stealing AI technology while secretly working with two China-based companies. Carl Court/Getty Images hide caption

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Carl Court/Getty Images

National Security

Chinese national arrested and charged with stealing AI trade secrets from Google

Prosecutors say at the same time that Linwei Ding was working for Google and stealing the building blocks of its AI technology, he was also secretly employed by two China-based tech companies.

From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here's how platforms can 'decay'

Tech journalist Cory Doctorow outlines how sites can change the deal with users. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

Interview highlights

From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here's how platforms can 'decay'

If you feel like some important places on the internet have been getting worse, you're not alone. In fact, there has been a whole lot of action in the last 12 months.

From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here's how platforms can 'decay'

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Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode'

Google agreed on Thursday to settle a $5 billion privacy lawsuit claiming that it continued spying on people who used the "incognito" mode in its Chrome browser — along with similar "private browsing" modes in other browsers — to track their internet use. Matt Slocum/AP hide caption

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Matt Slocum/AP

Business

Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode'

The class-action lawsuit said Google misled users into believing that it wouldn't track their internet activities while using 'incognito mode.' Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.

A jury decided Google's Android app store benefits from anticompetitive barriers

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, takes part in a discussion at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit on Nov. 16, 2023, in San Francisco. Eric Risberg/AP file photo hide caption

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Eric Risberg/AP file photo

Technology

A jury decided Google's Android app store benefits from anticompetitive barriers

The maker of Fortnite sued three years ago, alleging that Google abused its power to shield its Play Store from competition in order to protect a gold mine that makes billions of dollars annually.

YouTube will label AI-generated videos that look real

A photo shows the logo signs of Google and YouTube at their stand ahead of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos in 2022. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Untangling Disinformation

YouTube will label AI-generated videos that look real

The Google-owned video platform says it will shut accounts if they don't disclose when they use AI tools to make realistic-looking content. Other platforms are adopting similar policies.

The Telegram app has been a key platform for Hamas. Now it's being restricted there

Telegram has removed popular Hamas-linked accounts from the messaging service after a pro-Israel advocacy organization sent letters to Apple and Google asking the tech companies to pressure Telegram to take down the channels. Matt Slocum/AP hide caption

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Matt Slocum/AP

Middle East crisis — explained

The Telegram app has been a key platform for Hamas. Now it's being restricted there

The popular messaging app became one of the only major social media platforms that permitted accounts with ties to Hamas.

United States takes on Google in biggest tech monopoly trial of 21st century

Google is headed to trial in Washington D.C., where it will defend itself over the Justice Department's claims that it abused its monopoly power in its search engine business. Leon Neal/Getty Images hide caption

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Leon Neal/Getty Images

Business

United States takes on Google in biggest tech monopoly trial of 21st century

The biggest antitrust trial in nearly 25 years kicks off on Tuesday as the Justice Department makes its case that Google is an illegal monopoly.

Google turns 25, with an uncertain future as AI looms

As the company turns 25, many are wondering what the future holds. Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images

Main Character of the Day

Google turns 25, with an uncertain future as AI looms

For 25 years, Google has shaped the internet. Now, artificial intelligence threatens to change everything.

Google turns 25, with an uncertain future as AI looms

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Google says it will start blocking Canadian news stories in response to new law

Google announced on Thursday that it will start blocking links to Canadian news articles once a new law in the country forcing tech companies to bargain with news publishers takes effect. LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images

Technology

Google says it will start blocking Canadian news stories in response to new law

The Google fight with the country echoes a similar battle in Australia, where the tech industry eventually struck deals with news publishers after tense negotiations.

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