I don’t know if this is part of the case, but browsers basically control standards, and with the size of chrome, that means google controls the standards. The browser is a big aspect of the ad pipeline. Because they have the browser they could direct page views to themselves more than they do by using amp links. Even with blocking cookies and such, chrome still sends data back to google. There was the whole logon scheme they were pushing (I don’t remember the name) that only chrome would be able to do. There is a lot you can direct to yourself if you control the main access method.

What gets me, is they seem like 90%+ advertising and pop culture (probably paid promotions), yet they pass themselves off as news.