Google In Trouble About Google+ Search?

By now, everyone has seen the latest changes that Google has made to its search engine. The company has deeply integrated its Google+ network into its search engine, giving its users the chance to do more complete searches (search + social). Of course, not everyone has liked the recent change. Twitter is certainly not happy about the way Google+ results are added to the SERPs. Some privacy groups are also concerned about the ramifications of this move. Now, the FTC has announced its intention to expand its antitrust probe of Google to its social network as well.

Not surprisingly, Google users do have the option to turn off results from Google+ if they choose to. But is Google promoting its own products over the information on the web unfairly? Google is quite unapologetic about the changes it has made:

We believe that our improvements to search will benefit consumers … The laws are designed to help consumers benefit from innovation, not to help competitors.

Adam Kovacevich, a spokesman for Google explained. It will be interesting to see how the FTC rules on this development. Google is clearly pushing Google+ through its search engine now (something Facebook and Twitter won’t have the opportunity to take advantage of). This is going to be an interesting year for Google or so it seems.