Schmidt defends Google in Senate testimony

(WASHINGTON) - Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt defended the Internet giant on Wednesday against accusations it is abusing its dominant position in online search.

In written testimony submitted to a US Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing, Schmidt said most complaints about Google "come from websites that don't like where their sites rank on Google's search results page."

"We built search for users, not websites, and no matter what we do, there will always be some websites unhappy with where they rank," he said. "Search is subjective, and there's no 'correct' set of search results.

"Our scientific process is designed to provide the answers that consumers will find most useful," said Schmidt, who stepped down as chief executive of Google in April.

Schmidt also repeatedly stressed in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights that using Google is a choice for consumers and they can always go elsewhere.

"The great thing about the fundamental openness of the Internet is that, if consumers don't like what one website is providing them, they can switch to another website with just one click," Schmidt said. "Using Google is a choice (and a free one)."

The Mountain View, California-based Google has drawn increasing scrutiny from US and European regulators as it has grown over the years from a scrappy Silicon Valley startup into an Internet powerhouse.

European Union competition watchdogs began an investigation into Google in November and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opened its own probe into the company's lucrative search and advertising business in June.

As it has grown, Google has branched out into various businesses including online mapping, shopping, travel and providing operating systems for mobile phones and tablet computers.

At issue in the Senate hearing, which is to begin at 2:00 pm (1800 GMT), is whether Google gives preference to its own websites or products in search results.

Schmidt said he was confident Google's business practices would stand up to the scrutiny of the FTC and noted that every antitrust suit filed against Google "has been dismissed."

"I believe that this demonstrates that our business principles and, in particular, Google's focus on putting consumers first, are also the same values that are behind the antitrust laws," he said.