If I told you that someone was looking into Microsoft (News 
- Alert) for antitrust violations would you think that you were looking at an old news item? Don't worry there is nothing wrong with your web browser, it has not accidentally taken you to a link from an article from the late 1990's. You are right here and now in 2012 and the European Union is beginning another antitrust investigation against the noted computer giant.
The European Commission, which is the governing body for the EU for those of you who are not in the know, made an announcement about the investigation that is currently ongoing. In the release the Commission laid out the allegations, stating," The European Commission has opened proceedings against Microsoft in order to investigate whether the company has failed to comply with its 2009 commitments to offer users a choice screen enabling them to easily choose their preferred web browser...Microsoft may have failed to roll out the choice screen with Windows 7 Service Pack 1, which was released in February 2011." That lack of browser choice, which is required by law in the EU, is what has the company on the hot seat right now with authorities.
In addition, the commission seems to have suspicions that the company may have been lying about their compliance in this matter. Later in the same release the Commission said, "... in December 2011, Microsoft indicated in its annual compliance report to the Commission that it was in compliance with its commitments. From February 2011 until today, millions of Windows users in the EU may have not seen the choice screen. Microsoft has recently acknowledged that the choice screen was not displayed during that period."
For the time being the investigation is ongoing and the Commission is making this matter a priority. If Microsoft is assessed a fine it will be the third time since 2004.
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Edited by Brooke Neuman
