Joaquín Almunia steps down as ‘competition” commissioner.  Many European politicians have objected to his anti-trust efforts, particularly against Google.  He also tried to investigate tax favoritism for big corporations who promised to bring jobs to countries in exchange for low tax rates.  Among the companies he targeted: Apple in Ireland, Starbucks in the Netherlands, Amazon and Fiat SpA in Luxembourg.

The Google case has caused the most furor.  Almunia has said that it should not be a poitical football, but his efforts to come to a peaceful resolution with the company have come to naught.

Search engine favoritsm for consumers who subscribe to many Google products is being challenged as anti-competitive. In the US too people are beginning to realize that there is no free lunch.  Products you use for free from Google, Facebook, Twitter and Skype also subject your personal data to wide dissemination.