The Justice Department (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Google’s parent company Alphabet on January 24, 2023, alleging that Google violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by monopolizing the online advertising market through its exclusive control over the Google Ad Exchange (GAE), a platform that connects advertisers and publishers. The DOJ claims that Google used its dominant position to exclude or disadvantage rival platforms, such as Facebook’s Audience Network and Microsoft’s Bing Ads, from accessing its data and users. The DOJ also alleges that Google harmed consumers by charging higher prices for ads and reducing the quality and diversity of online content.
Google and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, are facing multiple antitrust lawsuits from the US government and several states over their alleged abuse of their dominant positions in the digital advertising and search markets. The lawsuits accuse the tech giants of engaging in illegal practices such as tying, bundling, price-fixing, and predatory pricing to maintain and extend their market power and stifle competition.
The DOJ’s lawsuit follows a separate lawsuit filed in 2020 by 11 states against Google over its alleged monopoly over the online search market. The states claim that Google used its dominant position to harm consumers by favoring its own products, such as Google Search, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps, over those of competitors. The states also allege that Google engaged in anticompetitive conduct such as manipulating search results, acquiring or eliminating potential rivals, creating or maintaining exclusive relationships with device makers or app developers, and imposing unfair terms on users.
Both lawsuits are seeking to break up Google’s businesses into separate entities that would be subject to antitrust scrutiny. The DOJ is also seeking to impose various remedies on Google, such as divesting assets, paying damages or fines, or implementing structural changes to prevent future anticompetitive conduct.
It has denied any wrongdoing and has sought to dismiss both lawsuits on various grounds. Alphabet argues that it faces intense competition from many rivals in both markets and that it offers consumers significant benefits through innovation and efficiency. Alphabet also contends that it complies with all applicable laws and regulations regarding its business practices.
The US government over its alleged abuse of its dominance in the digital advertising and search markets. The lawsuits accuse Alphabet of engaging in illegal practices such as tying, bundling, price-fixing, predatory pricing to maintain and extend its market power and stifle competition. Both lawsuits are seeking to break up Alphabet’s businesses into separate entities that would be subject to antitrust scrutiny. Alphabet has denied any wrongdoing and has sought to dismiss both lawsuits on various grounds.
Antitrust law is a type of legislation that serves to protect consumers and foster competition in the marketplace. The economy benefits from a diverse range of businesses and offerings, helping foster competitive and open markets. The result of antitrust law is a robust and competitive marketplace that protects consumers’ interests.
Antitrust laws are applied to a wide range of questionable business activities, such as market allocation, bid rigging, price fixing, and monopolies. These activities can harm consumers by reducing their choices, increasing their prices, lowering their quality, or limiting their innovation. Antitrust laws aim to prevent or break up these practices and ensure fair competition among businesses.
The core U.S. antitrust law was created by three pieces of legislation: the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Clayton Antitrust Act. These laws were enacted to address the growing concerns about the power and influence of large corporations in various industries. Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are responsible for enforcing federal antitrust laws.
If you want to report an antitrust violation, you have several options depending on the type and scope of the violation. You can contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) by email, regular mail, or phone. The FTC is responsible for enforcing federal antitrust laws that protect consumers and foster competition in the marketplace. You can report general antitrust violations, such as price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation, to the FTC’s Bureau of Competition by sending an email to antitrust@ftc.gov, or by calling (202) 326-3300. You can also report information about competition in technology markets or a complaint to the FTC’s Technology Enforcement Division by visiting ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The DOJ is responsible for enforcing federal antitrust laws that protect consumers and foster competition in various industries. You can report general antitrust violations, such as price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation, to the DOJ’s Antitrust Division by sending an email to antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov, or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). You can also report information about compliance with or potential violations of civil judgments to the DOJ’s Office of the Chief Legal Advisor by sending an email to ATRJudgmentCompliance@usdoj.gov. Additionally, you can report information about antitrust crimes and related schemes in government procurement, grant, and program funding to the DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force by visiting.