The German Minister for Culture and State Affairs, Wolfram Weimer, has called for a fundamental reassessment of Google’s business practices, suggesting a potential break-up of the company may be necessary. In an interview released Friday, Weimer expressed concerns about Google’s pervasive influence and its impact on the media landscape and democratic foundations.
He stated that a comprehensive approach is needed to address Google’s operations across various sectors, emphasizing the need for stronger regulatory oversight at the European Union level, while acknowledging existing efforts. Weimer indicated that the current level of regulation is insufficient and called for a more assertive stance on Google’s tax practices, criticizing the minimal contribution the company makes to German society despite generating substantial profits.
Beyond antitrust considerations, Weimer voiced anxieties about Google’s role in transforming the media industry. He argued that the company’s data aggregation practices are jeopardizing the diversity of opinion and hindering free expression by absorbing content from local radio stations, television networks and print media.
To counter this influence, Weimer encouraged public service broadcasters to collaborate more closely with private media companies. He proposed a strategy of “embeddings” which would allow public service content to be distributed across private platforms, a model he believes is currently being resisted unnecessarily. He maintained that the primary competitive pressure lies not amongst media outlets themselves, but with Google’s dominance.
The minister’s remarks are particularly noteworthy given ongoing tensions between the EU and the United States, with US President Donald Trump having frequently criticized EU regulatory approaches toward American technology companies, often threatening retaliatory tariffs.