Business Watch -- WSJ

Getty Images

Complaint Is Filed With EU Over Google

BRUSSELS -- Getty Images Inc., the world's largest photo company, said Wednesday it has lodged an official complaint with the European Union's antitrust watchdog over Alphabet Inc.'s Google, accusing the U.S. technology company of abusing its dominance in search to display copied images without compensation.

Getty Images said Google "scrapes" or copies content from publishers to display the images in search results and unfairly favors its own image-search service over rivals.

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

The fresh complaint comes after the European Commission filed a new set of formal charges against Google last week for allegedly abusing its dominance with its Android mobile operating system to protect its search engine.

The EU has also charged Google with allegedly skewing search results to favor its own shopping service. Google has denied the allegations.

The commission is also investigating allegations that Google scrapes rival Web content, but hasn't issued formal charges in the area.

Getty Images alleges Google reinforces its dominance in search and maintains a monopoly over site traffic, data and advertising by proposing to remove the providers' images entirely from search results if they don't consent to the content being copied.

Removing the images from search would make them invisible on the Internet, the photo company said.

Getty Images, majority owned by private-equity firm Carlyle Group and part-owned by members of the Getty oil family, has a digital trove of more than 100 million images.

--Natalia Drozdiak

Uber Technologies

Huffington Post Founder to Join Board

Uber Technologies Inc. on Wednesday said Arianna Huffington, founder and editor in chief of the Huffington Post, will join its board.

In a blog post on Uber's website, Chief Executive Travis Kalanick pointed to Ms. Huffington's experience building "one of the most successful, innovative media companies in the world."

"For those of us who know Arianna, it's clear she knows a thing or two about being an entrepreneur," he said.

Mr. Kalanick said Ms. Huffington's guidance has been "invaluable" to him over the years.

"Arianna embodies the type of optimistic leadership we need as Uber continues to grow," he said. "I know that in this new role, she'll help take Uber to the next level."

Uber, which now offers its ride-hailing service in 375 cities world-wide, has transformed the taxi industry by coming up with a seamless way to match customers with its army of drivers.

In June, Ms. Huffington signed a new four-year contract to remain at the Huffington Post at least through 2019. She founded the site in 2005.

--Anne Steele

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 28, 2016 02:48 ET (06:48 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.