Boris Ignachkov The lawsuit accuses Google of abusing their position to dominate search and search advertising.
The US justice department filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing them of abusing their power to maintain an illegal monopoly over search and search advertising. The suit alleged that Google has developed far beyond a ‘scrappy start up’ and instead is an ‘innovative way to search the emerging internet.’ Google, who account for 80% of search queries, are now act as a ‘monopoly gatekeeper for the internet’ according to the law suit. Additionally they are accused of using ‘pernicious’ anticompetitive tactics to extend their monopolies. This antitrust suit is the most significant legal challenge to a major tech company this decade, and comes as US authorities are increasingly critical of the biggest tech companies.
The case alleges that Google unfairly acts as a gatekeeper to the web, through a series of business agreements that effectively lock out competition. As well as this, Justice officials have challenged an arrangement in which Google’s search application is preloaded, even on Android operating systems.
Google pay billions to secure default status for its general search engines, and to specifically prevent Google’s counterparts from dealing with their competitors. The suit states that Google has foreclosed competition for internet search.
In response, Google called the law suit ‘deeply flawed.’ They stated that people use Google because they choose to, not because they’re forced to and can’t find alternatives.
