Exclusive: Oracle says investigators asked for information on Google

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Oracle Corp (ORCL.N), who ran into Google's Alphabet (GOOGL.O) in commercial litigation, has received requests for information from congressional and state investigators investigating allegations of antitrust violations by Google.

Oracle, who is familiar with Google's advertising industry, has received requests for information from the Texas Attorney General's Office and the House Judiciary Committee, said Ken Glueck, Oracle's chief executive officer. based in Washington.

The Judiciary Committee of the House has sought information from dozens of companies likely to have suffered damage from the tech giants, according to a source close to the House investigation.

The committee will decide whether to subpoena according to the number of companies that respond voluntarily. Some companies believe they are less likely to suffer retaliation from giants if they are forced to share information, according to the source.

Oracle has also met with the Department of Justice, Glueck said. Google declined to comment on the subject.

Oracle alleged that Google had violated the Oracle Java author right to create the Android operating system that handles most of the world's smartphones. The Supreme Court is considering whether Google's appeal should be appealed against a decision of a lower court that reopens the case. Oracle has claimed about $ 9 billion in damages.

Technology companies, previously seen as a source of innovation that promotes efficiency and economic growth, face a brutal response in the US and around the world to concerns expressed by competitors, legislators and consumer groups that companies have too much power and harm users and rival firms.

Their criticisms range from Republicans such as President Donald Trump, who is worried that conservative voices are stifled online, to progressives such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has proposed forcing Google, Facebook and Amazon to sell companies bought for antitrust reasons.

Reuters and other media reported in June that federal agencies were dividing the companies for investigation, the Justice Department taking Google and Apple, while the Federal Trade Commission was reviewing Facebook and Amazon.com Inc.

The Judiciary Committee of the House also looks at the four, while groups of state attorneys general have formed to focus on Facebook and Google.