Is Google a dominant firm? The US Department of Justice commences its second legal battle on competition law, this time focusing on advertising technology

A past competition law dispute in the US targeted Google’s searching sector, culminating in an 8-month legal proceeding that ended unfavorably for the corporation. Back in August, Judge Amit Mehta decreed that the tech behemoth had participated in unfair practices to safeguard its market power, proclaiming, “Google holds a monopoly position and has behaved in a manner to sustain this monopoly.” The consequences of this judgement remain uncertain.

‘Restoring competitiveness’ on the web

The most recent trial, which kicked off on Monday, will see the DoJ laying out arguments that Alphabet, Google’s parent entity, wields control over the majority of tools and technologies within the advertising technology domain.

This lawsuit, initiated in 2023 by the DoJ and a group comprising eight states – California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia – is aimed at reestablishing competition and securing “fair and financial compensation” for the American populace.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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