South Korea fines Google ₩207 billion for forking up attempts at creating Android variants

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has fined Google ₩207 billion (US$177M) for abusing its market dominance in mobile operating systems by prohibiting forks of Android. As explained in an announcement, the Commission took exception to Google's practice of requiring companies that sought early access to information about …

[PeterBelelius]

It really really should be possible to correct a behemoth's greedy behavior and if you read these numbers then the South-Koreans are absolutely right to go ahead.

[Sparkus]

Behind every "behemoth"...

Is a collection of human beings that can be 'stung' by punitive fines......

[Anonymous Coward]

Too little

The fine is a slap on the wrist, at best, that Googs will chalk up as a cost of doing business.

It's too bad that South Korea didn't declare the underlying agreements, AFA and, especially, MADA, illegal.

[ShadowSystems]

Re: Too little

And make Google's CEO personally liable for the fine. Not coming out of the corporate bottom line, directly out of the CEO's personal finances, as that would make the captain of the ship getting paid to steer reconsider steering the corporation in that same direction ever again.

[jason_derp]

Re: Too little

"Not coming out of the corporate bottom line, directly out of the CEO's personal finances, as that would make the captain of the ship getting paid to steer reconsider steering the corporation in that same direction ever again."

Not likely to change anything. CEOs just do what the shareholders want up until they jump ship or the shareholders don't want them. You'd create a situation where CEOs cycle in and out so quickly there'd be no way to decide who to blame, or they'd get rid of the position and create a special committee or something like that to diffuse the blame.

I imagine whatever it cost those people "steering" would be equivalent to a portion of their yearly bonus, graciously awared by the directors. Just another cost of doing business with a few extra steps in getting the money where it needs to be.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Too little

"Not likely to change anything. CEOs just do what the shareholders want up until they jump ship

CEOs, especially of company's the size of Google, do what THEY want. If the shareholders disagree, then things may change, or the CEO and board will convince the shareholders to back off. In general, all a CEO has to do is keep the company making money and growing to keep most of the shareholders on side.

"or the shareholders don't want them."

..yes, IF enough shareholders can come together to try and oust the CEO, a relatively rare happening.