Justice Department Bringing Antitrust Case Against Google
Multinational technology companies are appearing as targets for antitrust lawsuits in several jurisdictions, with these tech giants facing scrutiny for how they may be misusing their dominant market positions. Whilst these antitrust cases have historically found more welcoming legal frameworks in Europe, an impending lawsuit against Google looks to follow that trend in the U.S. Reporting in CNET explains that the Department of Justice is bringing a lawsuit against Google in federal court, alleging that the company used its monopoly position to unjustly dominate the digital advertising market. This case follows similar legal actions in the UK and Europe, with Google accused of using anti-competitive practices to harm advertisers and publishers, as well as smaller competitors. CNET also reports that Google had sought to dissuade the Justice Department’s latest lawsuit by alleviating the concerns raised, having suggested that it would be “willing to split off its ad business.” This legal action has also drawn the attention of litigation funders, with LitFin announcing via LinkedIn that they are funding a group action against Google, and looking to represent media houses and publishers who have been damaged by Google’s actions.