DOJ Files Antitrust Suit Against Google Over Online Advertising Dominance

Defendant

The DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE has filed a second antitrust suit against GOOGLE, alleging that the company has used monopoly power in the online advertising category. The DOJ was joined by CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, and VIRGINIA in the suit, which seeks to force GOOGLE to divest its advertising arm. The current action is the federal government's second antitrust suit against GOOGLE, following an OCTOBER 2020 suit over internet search monopolization, which is likely to go to trial in the FALL.

The suit drew comment from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS, whose Senior Communications Strategist ALEX SICILIANO said, “NAB is paying close attention to the latest lawsuit filed against GOOGLE and is carefully reviewing the complaint. For years, broadcasters have been sounding the alarm over the anti-competitive practices of the Big Tech platforms, including GOOGLE. Their dominant role in the marketplace has come at a steep price for local news broadcasters, who lose an estimated $2 billion annually by providing their content to these platforms under ‘take it or leave it’ terms. We continue to work with our congressional allies to address these inequities and urge CONGRESS to move swiftly to level the playing field.”

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