Conspiracy afoot to kill off Google

It thinks that Viacom's $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube and the recent deal between NBC Universal and News Corp to establish a rival online video site is all part of a cunning plan.

It believes that the media groups are playing a high stakes game which could determine the future of the broadband medium and the public interest.

So far the media giants have been looking at ways to stunt Google's growing clout in the advertising marketplace, the article claims. They fear if it gets too big and powerful it could start telling them what to do.

Quoting insiders, alternet says that the media groups are planning a possible federal antitrust case, similar to the 1998 case brought against Microsoft. They are also considering arranging an FTC action over Google's interactive data-collection apparatus.

Google has a growing list of enemies, er competitors, keen to see the search outfit cut down to size. The article claims that Viacom's action against Google is aimed less at stopping the outfit from showing clips of the Daily Show and more of showing the search company who is boss.

It points out that Viacom chief Sumner Redstone successfully took on cable TV baron John Malone in a similar sort of action.

More here.