{mosads}

Traditionally a firm is considered a monopoly if it holds 70 percent of a given market, a threshold Google has flirted with but hasn’t crossed recently. Google is quick to point out that using its products is completely vountary and consumers are free to choose other search engines if they’re not happy with Google.

Google must also contend with a view held by some officials that the core search market itself is distinct from other Web offerings and should be held separately. Google argues that adding new elements such as directions or stock quotes is part of its search service, but some lawmakers disagree.