Oracle and Nokia join anti-Google lobbying group

Oracle, Nokia and and Allegro on Wednesday joined FairSearch, a lobbying group that is urging regulators to crackdown on Google.

Allegro is an online auction site based in Poland, Oracle is a California-based software company and Nokia is a Finnish cellphone maker.

"Their addition is emblematic of the global scope of Google’s anti-competitive search and business practices, which harm consumers by curbing innovation and choice, not just in Web services, but also in mobile, and any platform where Google abuses its dominant position," Thomas Vinje, FairSearch's EU counsel, said in a statement.

Google makes the popular Android mobile operating system and got into the device market when it bought Motorola Mobility last year.

Google and Oracle are currently embroiled in a legal battle over smartphone patents. Nokia has close business ties with Microsoft, and both companies compete with Google over smartphone products.

Critics claim that Google manipulates its search results to ensure that its own services, such as Google Maps, YouTube and Google Offers, appear above its rivals.

Google's competitors argue that the company shouldn't be allowed to use its dominant search engine — which has about a 65 percent market share — to stifle competition.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission are currently investigating the allegations of anti-competitive behavior. 

Google says there is nothing unfair about its search rankings. Even if the results did boost Google products, the company says, it wouldn’t be illegal.

A Google spokesman declined to comment on the new members of FairSearch.

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