US attacks Europe on behalf of Apple

ALREADY BACKING Microsoft over its antitrust defence in the EU, the US government is weighing in on the side of Apple in its wars with European countries.

Justice Department antitrust chief Thomas Barnett has dubbed actions by foreign governments against iTunes online music service as "misguided enforcement".

He said that governments should think twice before interfering with popular new technologies. Barnett claimed moves to impose restrictions on iTunes were an example of overzealous regulation that he said could discourage innovation and hurt consumers.

Speaking at an antitrust law conference in Washington, DC, Barnett didn't name names, but he would almost certainly be referring to action being taken in France and several Scandinavian countries.

Barnett praised Apple for creating a legal, profitable and easy-to-use system for downloading music and other entertainment via the Internet.

Members of the audience questioned him about his surprisingly public support for Apple and his own agency's involvement in the prosecution of Microsoft.

Many consider that the Justice Department let Vole off the hook with its anti-trust action and left it to the EU to show them how it should have been done.

More at the Washington Post . µ