Google Sued By US Govt For Monopoly Over Advertising Technology Products

Washington: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and eight states have sued Google over its alleged monopoly over digital advertising technology products.

Filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the complaint alleged that Google monopolises key digital advertising technologies, collectively referred to as the “ad tech stack”, that website publishers depend on to sell ads and that advertisers rely on to buy ads and reach potential customers.

Website publishers use ad tech tools to generate advertising revenue that supports the creation and maintenance of a vibrant open web, providing the public with unprecedented access to ideas, artistic expression, information, goods and services.

Through this lawsuit, filed late on Tuesday, the DOJ and state Attorneys General seek to restore competition in these important markets and obtain equitable and monetary relief on behalf of the US citizens.

“The complaint alleges that Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful conduct to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.