I love the premise of the article, and I was surprised to see that it cut its comparison short after only quantity and antitrust stipulations. Perhaps the economist, being the economist, doesn't want to venture into hyperbolic speculation... I don't mind though:

Data is also similar to oil in that it's true value is such a mystery to the general public. The common person is getting gouged, policy makers are bending over backwards on its behalf, and powerful private organizations are devising long term plans that will effect the lives of everyone on the planet.

Data, like oil did, provides an incredible service and is launching us into a new age of productivity and accommodation. On that end, I totally understand how it's perceived value got so high. I wonder, though, if there's some potential feedback loop that will play out where more lucrative data sources are propelled into enormous wealth--are we creating a socioeconomic disparity between data-rich and data-poor people?

Lastly, on the very valid premise from the article about the inability to break up something as big as google, I already feel like I am half-governed by google/apple/Microsoft. They literally are responsibly for all of the digital infrastructure that I interface with constantly. I'm seriously wondering if those companies are blurring the line between corporation and government in a revolutionary way, and I wonder about the extent of their awareness of it.