States bring action against Google under federal and state antitrust laws [pdf] (texasattorneygeneral.gov)

Article summary

A group of US states has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging the company has engaged in exclusionary tactics to maintain its market power. The complaint focuses on Google's advertising business and its alleged agreement with Facebook to manipulate advertising auctions. The lawsuit claims Google's actions have harmed American businesses and consumers. The case is based on the Sherman Act, which requires harm to the end customer to be considered a monopoly.

Main themes

• antitrust lawsuit
• Google's advertising business
• monopolistic practices
• consumer welfare
• Sherman Act
• political motivations

What commenters say

• The lawsuit's chances of success are uncertain due to the difficulty of proving harm to consumers when Google's services are free.
• Google's free services may actually be a net good for consumers, giving them access to things they wouldn't otherwise have.
• The Sherman Act's focus on consumer welfare may not be applicable in cases where businesses are harmed by monopolistic practices.
• The alleged agreement between Google and Facebook to manipulate advertising auctions could be seen as a clear example of anti-competitive behavior.
• The lawsuit may be motivated by political rather than purely economic concerns.
• The concept of 'customer' in the context of ad buys is complex and may include businesses attempting to do online marketing.
• Google's advertising business model, which relies on targeted ads, may be seen as beneficial to both businesses and consumers.